List of names in English with non-intuitive pronunciations

This is a set of lists of personal and place names that are pronounced in a way not easily deduced from the spelling or in a way at variance with a better known name of the same spelling.

See International Phonetic Alphabet for English and Help:IPA English pronunciation key for guides to the IPA symbols used. See English Phonemic Representation for a guide to the enPR symbols used. For readability, a colon is used for the long vowel sign (ː) in the IPA pronunciation, as the latter displays awkwardly in some fonts and browsers, and ‘r’ is used rather than the more precise ‘ɹ’ since these are all words pronounced in English.

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Place names in the British Isles

Although several examples are included in the list below, pronunciations for the following suffixes may be considered regular:

• -burgh — ; (-bûrʹə, -brə)
• -bury — ; (-bûrʹē, -brē)
• -cester — ; (-stər)
• -ham — ; (-əm)
• -shire — ; (-shər, -shîr)
• -wick — ; (-ĭk)
• -mouth — ; (-məth)

A

• Ahoghill, County Antrim — or ; (ă-hŏʹhĭlʹ) or (ă-hŏʹkhĭlʹ)
• Aigburth, Liverpool — ; (ĕgʹbûrthʹ)
• Alcester, Warwickshire — , ; (ŏlsʹtər, ôlsʹtər)
• Allesley, Coventry - ; (ôlzʹlē)
• Aldeburgh, Suffolk — ; (ôlʹbrə)
• Alnwick, Northumberland — ; (ăʹnĭk)
• Althorp, Northamptonshire — ; (ôlʹtrŏpʹ)
• Altrincham, Greater Manchester — ; (ŏlʹtrĭngʹəm)
• Auchinleck, Ayrshire — ; (ăfʹlĕk)
• Averham, Nottinghamshire — ; (ârʹəm)
• Avoch, Highland — ; (lôkh)

B

• Balliol College, University of Oxford — ; (bāʹlēʹəl)
• Barugh, South Yorkshire — ; (bärk)
• Great Barugh and Little Barugh, North Yorkshire — ; (bärf)
• Barnstaple, Devon — ; (bärnʹstə-bəl)
• Beauchief, Sheffield — ; (bēʹchĭf)
• Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire — ; (bĕʹkənz-fēldʹ)
• Beaulieu, Hampshire — ; (byōōʹlē)
• Bellingham, Northumberland — ; (bĕlʹən-jəm) · (the city of Bellingham, Washington, U.S.A., is pronounced as spelled [, bĕʹlĭng-hămʹ])
• Vale of Belvoir, England — ; (bēʹvər)
• Berkeley (all English towns) — ; (bärkʹlē)
• Berkshire — ; (bärkʹshər)
• Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland — ; (bĕʹrĭk)
• Bicester, Oxfordshire — ; (bĭsʹtər)
• Billericay, Essex — ; (bĭlʹə-rĭkʹē)
• Blackley, Greater Manchester — ; (blākʹlē)
• Boyounagh, County Galway — ; (bwēʹnəkh)
• Bozeat, Northamptonshire — ; (bŏŏʹzhət)
• Breaghwy, Connacht — ; (brĕfʹē)
• Bradley, West Midlands — ; (brādʹlē)
• Brewood, Staffordshire - ; (brōōd)
• Burgh by Sands, Cumbria — ; (brŭf)

C

• Cahir, County Tipperary — ; (kār) · (original Irish intuitively , kāʹhĭr)
• Caldmore, West Midlands — ; (käʹmər)
• Cambois, Northumberland — ; (kămʹəs)
• Cambridge — ; (kāmʹbrĭj) · (note that the River Cam and Cambridge, Gloucestershire are pronounced intuitively)
• Canterbury, Kent — ; (kănʹtər-brē)
• River Cherwell, river in England — ; (chärʹwĕl)
• Chiswick, London — ; (chĭzʹĭk)
• Cholmondeley, Cheshire — ; (chŭmʹlē)
• Cirencester, Gloucestershire — now usually (sīʹrən-sĕsʹtər), but formerly (and still occasionally) (sĭʹsĭ-tər)
• Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire — ; (klĭʹbə-rē)
• Cley next the Sea, Norfolk — ; (klī)
• Cliveden, Buckinghamshire — ; (klĭvʹdən)
• Cloghore, County Donegal — ; (klīʹhōr)
• Clones, County Monaghan — ; (klōʹnĭs)
• Cogenhoe, Northamptonshire — ; (kŏŏkʹnoʊ)
• Costessey, Norfolk — ; (kŏsʹē)
• Cowpen, Northumberland — ; (kōōʹpĕnʹ)
• Cruwys Morchard, Devon - ; (krōōz)
• Cuckfield, Sussex — ; (kŏŏkʹfēld) · (versus intuitively pronounced Uckfield nearby)
• Culross, Fife — ; (kōōʹrŏsʹ)
• Cultra, Northern Ireland— ; (kŭl-trôʹ)
• Culzean Castle, Ayrshire — ; (kōō-lānʹ)

D

• Derby — ; (därʹbē)
• Durham —

E

• Edensor, Derbyshire — ; (ĕnʹzər)
• Edinburgh — ; (ĕʹdən-bûrʹə) or (ĕʹdən-brə)
• Elsecar, South Yorkshire — ; (ĕlʹsĭ-kär)
• Ely, Cambridgeshire — ; (ēʹlē)
• Erith, London — ; (ēʹrĭth)
• Esher, Surrey — ; (ēʹshər)
• Eyam, Derbyshire — ; (ēm)

F

• Findochty, Moray — or ; (fĭnʹək-tē) or (fĭnʹəkh-tē)
• Fowey, Cornwall — ; (foi)
• Frome, Somerset — ; (frōōm)

G

• The Garioch, Aberdeenshire — ; (gîrʹē)
• Gateacre, Liverpool — ; (gătʹăk-ər)
• Gillingham, Kent — ; (jĭʹlĭng-əm)
• Gillingham, Dorset — ; (gĭʹlĭng-əm)
• Glenzier, Dumfries and Galloway — ; (glĭngʹər)
• Gloucester — ; (glŏsʹtər)
• Gotham, Nottinghamshire — ; (gōʹtəm)
• Greenwich, Greater London — or ; (grĕʹnĭch) or (grĭʹnĭch)
• Greysouthen, Cumbria — ; (grāʹsōōn)
• Groby, Leicestershire — ; (grōōʹbē)
• Guildford, Surrey — ; (gĭlʹfərd)
• Guisborough, North Yorkshire — ; (gēzʹbrə)

H

• Halford, Midlands — ; (hälʹfərd”)
• Happisburgh, Norfolk — ; (hāzʹbrə)
• Hawarden, Flintshire — ; (härʹdən)
• Hawick, Scottish Borders — ; (hoik)
• Heather, Leicestershire — ; (hēʹthər)
• Hereford, England — ; (hârʹē-fərdʹ)
• Hertford, England — ; (härʹfərd) · (although most foreigners pronounce it [härtʹfərd])
• Hessle, East Yorkshire — ; (hĕzʹəl)
• Heysham, Lancashire — ; (hēʹshəm)
• Holborn, Greater London — ; (hōʹbərn”)
• Holyhead, Wales — ; (hŏʹlē-hĕdʹ)
• Hunstanton, Norfolk — ; (hŭnsʹtən)

I

• Inistioge, County Kilkenny — ; (ĭnʹĭsh-tēg)
• Islay, island of the Inner Hebrides — ; (īʹlə)

K

• Keadby, Lincolnshire — ; (kĭdʹbē)
• Keighley, West Yorkshire) — ; (kēthʹlē)
• Keswick, Cumbria — ; (kĕʹzĭk)
• Keynsham, near Bristol — ; (kānʹshəm)
• Kilconquhar, Fife — or ; (kĭ-nŭʹkhär) or (kĭ-nŭʹkər) or (kĭ-nyŭʹkər)
• Kingussie, Highland — ; (kĭng-jōōʹsē)
• Kiltimagh, County Mayo — ; (kĭlʹchĭ-mŏkʹ)
• Kirkby, Merseyside — ; (kûrʹbē)
• Kirkcaldy, Fife - ; (kər-käʹdē)
• Kirkcudbright, Galloway — ; (kər-kōōʹbrē”)

L

• Laugharne, Carmarthenshire — ; (lärn)
• Launceston, Cornwall — or or ; (lônsʹtən, lônʹsən) or (länsʹtən, länʹsən) or (lănsʹtən, lănʹsən) · (versus Launceston, Tasmania, pronounced [lŏnʹsəs-tən])
• Leamington Spa and Leamington Hastings, Warwickshire — ; (lĕʹmĭng-tən)
• Leap, County Cork — ; (lĕp)
• Leicester — ; (lĕsʹtər)
• Leigh, Kent — ; (lī)
• Leominster, Herefordshire — ; (lĕmsʹtər) · (compare Leominster, Massachusetts below)
• Lewannick, Cornwall — ; (lōō-ŏʹnĭk)
• Liskeard, Cornwall — ; (lĭ-skärdʹ)
• Loose, Kent — ; (lōōz)
• Lostwithiel, Cornwall — ; (lŏs-wĭʹthē-ĕlʹ)
• Loughborough, Leicestershire — ; (lŭfʹbrə)
• Lympne, Kent — ; (lĭm)

M

• Magdalen College, University of Oxford — ; (môdʹlĭn)
• Magdalen Hill, Winchester — ; (môn)
• Magdalene College, University of Cambridge — ; (môdʹlĭn)
• Manea, Cambridgeshire — ; (māʹnē)
• Marlborough, Wiltshire — ; (môlʹbrə)
• Meols, Cheshire — ; (mĕlz)
• Meols Cop, Southport — ; (mēlz)
• Meopham, Kent — ; (mĕʹpəm)
• Mildenhall, Wiltshire — ; (mīʹnəl)
• Milngavie, Scotland — or ; (mŭlʹgī) or (mĭlʹgī)
• Minories, London — ; (mĭʹnər-ēz)
• Monmouth, Wales — ; (mŏnʹməth)
• Mousehole, Cornwall — ; (mouʹzəl)
• Mweelrea, County Mayo — ; (mwāl-rēʹə)
• Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire — ; (mīʹthəm-roidʹ)

N

• Naas, County Kildare, Ireland — ; (nās)
• Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland — ; (nā)
• River Nene, Northamptonshire — ; (nĕn)
• Newquay, Cornwall — ; (nyōōʹkē)
• Norwich, Norfolk — ; (nŏrʹĭj)

O

• Olney, Milton Keynes — (ôʹnē) (local pronunciation) · (ŏlʹnē)
• Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire — ; (ŏzʹtwĭsʹəl) (local pronunciation) · (ŏʹzəl-twĭʹzəl)
• Owenabue, river in County Cork — (ōʹnə-bwēʹ)

P

• Plaistow, Newham, Greater London — ; (pläʹstō)
• Plymouth, Devon — ; (plĭʹməth)
• Prinknash, Gloucestershire — (prĭʹnĭsh)
• Puncknowle, Devon — (pŭʹnəl)

R

• Rainworth, Nottinghamshire — ; (rĕʹnəth)
• Ratlinghope, Shropshire — ; (rătʹshŭp) (local pronunciation)
• Reading, Berkshire — ; (rĕʹdĭng)
• Rievaulx, North Yorkshire — ; (rēʹvō)
• Ruthven, Aberdeenshire — ; (rĭʹvən)

S

• St. Ive, Cornwall — ; (ēv) · (however, St Ives is pronounced intuitively)
• St. Teath, Cornwall — ; (tĕth)
• Salisbury, Wiltshire — ; (zôzʹbrē) (local pronunciation) · or ; (sŏlzʹbrē) or (sôlzʹbrē)
• Shrewsbury, Shropshire — ; (shrōz'brē) · (though the "Shrews-" is sometimes pronounced phonetically)
• Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire — ; (slă-wĭtʹ)
• Slough, Berkshire — ; (slou)
• Smethwick, West Midlands — ; (smĕʹthĭk)
• Southwark, Greater London — ; (sŭʹvərk) (local pronunciation) · ; (sŭʹthərk)
• Southwell, Nottinghamshire — or ; (sŭthʹəl) or (southʹwəl)
• Staithes, North Yorkshire — locally ; (stîrz)
• Stawell, Somerset — ; (stŏl)
• Stiffkey, Norfolk — ; (styōōʹkē) · (though it can be intuitively pronounced)
• Strabane, County Tyrone — ; (strə-bănʹ)
• Strathaven, South Lanarkshire -— ; (strāʹvən)
• River Suir in Leinster, Ireland — ; (shōōr)

T

• Tacolneston, Norfolk — ; (tăkʹəl-stən)
• Tallaght, County Dublin — ; (tăʹlə)
• Teignmouth, Devon — ; (tĭnʹməth)
• Teston, Kent — ; (tēʹsən)
• River Thames— ; (“tĕmz”) · (the Thames River in Connecticut is pronounced intuitively)
• Tideswell, Derbyshire — ; (tĭdʹzəl)
• Tintwistle, Derbyshire — ; (tĭnʹsəl)
• Torpenhow' Hill, Cumbria — ; (trə-pĕnʹə) (local pronunciation) · (elsewhere pronounced intuitively)
• Torquay, Devon — ; (tôrʹkē)
• Towcester, Northamptonshire — ; (tōsʹtər)
• Trottiscliffe, Kent — ; (trŏsʹlē)

U

• Ulgham, Northumberland — (ŭfʹəm)

W

• Warwick and Warwickshire — ; (wŏrʹĭk) · ; (wŏrʹĭk-shər)
• Market Weighton, East Yorkshire — ; (wētʹn)
• Wemyss Bay, Inverclyde — (wēmz)
• Wisbech, Cambridgeshire — (wĭzʹbēch)
• East Woodhay and West Woodhay - ; (wŏŏʹdē)
• Woolfardisworthy, Devon — or ; (wŏŏlʹzē) or (wŏŏlʹzər-ē)
• Worcester (wŏŏsʹtər)
• Wrotham, Kent — (rŏŏʹtəm)
• Wybunbury, Cheshire — ; (wĭnʹbrē)
• Wycombe, Buckinghamshire — ; (wĭʹkəm)
• Wymondham, Norfolk — ; (wĭnʹdəm) (local pronunciation)
• Wytham, Oxfordshire — ; (wītʹəm)

Y

• Youghal, County Cork, Ireland — ; (yôl)

Z

• Zouch, Nottinghamshire — ; (zŏch)
• Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire — ; (zōōsh)

Place names in the United States of America

A

• Aberdeen, Washington — stressed on the first syllable (), unlike Aberdeen, Scotland, which is stressed on the final syllable
• Abiquiu, New Mexico — (“abbecue”)
• Acequia, Idaho —
• Achilles, Kansas — (Achilles is )
• Aloha, Oregon —
• Alsea, Oregon —
• Amherst, Massachusetts — (The "h" is silent.)
• Arab, Alabama — (“ayrab”)
• Arkansas — (“ARkensaw”). However, the Arkansas River and Arkansas City in Kansas are pronounced (“arCANses”)
• Arriba, Colorado —
• Athens, Kentucky, Athens, Illinois and New Athens, Illinois — (“aythenz”)
• Ausable River (New York) — (“oh sable”)

B

• Bahama, North Carolina —
• Beatrice, Alabama — ; usually Beatrice is
• Beaufort, South Carolina — vs. of Beaufort, North Carolina
• Belen, New Mexico -
• Bellefontaine, Ohio —
• Benld, Illinois —
• Bergen, New York —
• Berlin, Connecticut, New Berlin, Illinois, Berlin, New Hampshire, New Berlin, Wisconsin, and Berlin, Ohio — (stress on first syllable)
• Bernalillo, New Mexico (county and town) —
• Bexar, Texas — or
• Billerica, Massachusetts —
• Bingen, Washington —
• Biscay, Minnesota — (cf Biscay )
• Boerne, Texas —
• Bois D'Arc, Missouri —
• Boise, Idaho — (this is the standard local pronunciation, but most Americans, especially those far removed from Idaho, pronounce it )
• Boise City, Oklahoma — The "Boise" in this place name is locally pronounced 1, which is different from either pronunciation of the name of the Idaho city. The "s" sound generally merges with the same sound in "City."
• Bolivar, Tennessee — named for Simón Bolívar but pronounced , as if to rhyme with "oliver"
• Bossier City, Louisiana —
• Bowie, Maryland —
• Bothell, Washington —
• Buena Vista, Colorado, Buena Vista, Oregon, Buena Vista, Virginia —
• Bucoda, Washington — buh-coe-duh
• Buhl, Idaho —
• Burien, Washington —
• Butte, Montana —

C

• Cairo, Illinois and Cairo, Ohio —
• Calais, Maine and Calais, Vermont — (The town of Calais in France was formerly also pronounced in English; today , with initial stress in British English and final stress in American English, is the normal pronunciation.)
• Camano Island, Washington —
• Cambridge, Massachusetts —
• Canyon de Chelly, Arizona — Chelly pronounced
• Celina, Texas —
• Chatham, Massachusetts —
• Chehalis, Washington —
• Chelan, Chelan County, and Lake Chelan, Washington —
• Chemekata, Oregon —
• Cherryville, North Carolina — or
• Chewelah, Washington —
• Chicago — or
• Chickasha, Oklahoma —
• Chili, New York — though indeed named after the country Chili/Chile2
• Clatskanie, Oregon —
• Coeur d'Alene, Idaho —
• Columbus, Ohio — (uncouth)
• Conneaut, Ohio (also Conneautville, Pennsylvania) —
• Conetoe, North Carolina —
• Connecticut —
• Copalis Beach, Washington —
• Coquille, Oregon —
• Cordele, Georgia — Pronounced "cor-DEAL"
• Cudahy, California - or

D

• Delhi, New York —
• Des Moines, Iowa —
• Des Plaines, Illinois — for contrast
• Deschutes River, Oregon, and Deschutes River, Washington —
• Mount Desert Island, Maine— to add to the confusing pronunciation of desert and dessert
• DuBois, Pennsylvania - or vs. French
• Duenweg, Missouri -
• Dungeness River and Dungeness Spit, Washington —

E

• El Dorado, Arkansas, El Dorado, Kansas and Eldorado, Illinois —
• Elbe, Washington —
• Embarras (or Embarrass) River in Illinois —
• Ephrata, Washington — (unlike the Borough of Ephrata, Pennsylvania, which is pronounced )
• Estacada, Oregon —
• Etobicoke, Ontario —

F

• Faneuil Hall, Boston, Massachusetts —
• Fries, Virginia —

G

• Galice, Oregon —
• Galveston, Indiana — vs for Galveston, Texas
• Gloucester, Massachusetts —.
• Greenwich, Connecticut and Greenwich Village in New York City —
• Gruene, Texas —

H

• Haverhill, Massachusetts —
• Havre, Montana —
• Havre de Grace, Maryland —
• Hereford, Texas and Hereford, Pennsylvania — (“herfurd”)
• Hockessin, Delaware —
• Houston, Georgia and Houston Street (Manhattan) — , vs the better known, irregular of Houston, Texas, named via Sam Houston after Houston, Scotland, a concatenation of "Hu's town"
• Hurricane, Utah and Hurricane, West Virginia — (The ending is standard in the British pronunciation of hurricane, but not in American English)
• Hyak, Washington —

I

• Illinois —
• Ilwaco, Washington —
• Ironton, Ohio —
• Ischua, New York —
• Iselin, New Jersey —
• Isle au Haut, Maine —
• Islip, New York —
• Italy, Texas — with two syllables only

J

• Strait of Juan de Fuca —
• Julian, Pennsylvania —

K

• Kahlotus, Washington —
• Kalaloch, Washington —
• Kalama, Washington —
• Kamela, Oregon -
• Kamiah, Idaho —
• Keechelus Lake, Washington —
• Kenai, Alaska —
• Kittitas and Kittitas County, Washington —
• Kosciusko, Mississippi —
• Kountze, Texas —
• Kure Beach, North Carolina —

L

• Lac Courte Oreilles, Wisconsin —
• Lafayette in Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee — vs. e.g. the cities in Indiana and Louisiana that are pronounced , approximating the original French
• La Grande, Oregon —
• Lake Oswego, Oregon —
• La Plata, Maryland —
• Lapwai, Idaho —
• Latah, Washington and Latah County, Idaho —
• Leakey, Texas —
• Lebam, Washington —
• Lebanon, New Hampshire —
• Leicester, Massachusetts — (“lester”)
• Lemhi County, Idaho —
• Lemoore, California — officially after the founder, quickly becoming due to its spelling and the number of new people moving in to the town
• Leominster, Massachusetts —
• Lewes, Delaware —
• Lima, Ohio —
• Lodi, California, and elsewhere in US —
• Lompoc, California —
• Louisville, Colorado, Louisville, Georgia, Louisville, Ohio — vs. Louisville, Kentucky locally or even

M

• Mackinac Island, Michigan —
• Madras, Oregon —
• Madrid, New Mexico and New Madrid, Missouri —
• Malad City, Idaho and Malad River —
• Malheur County, Oregon and Malheur River —
• Manchaca, Texas —
• Manor, Texas —
• Mantua, Utah —
• Marquam, Oregon —
• Maury County, Tennessee —
• Medina, Washington —
• Mesa, Washington —
• Methow, Washington —
• Mexia, Texas —
• Miami, Oklahoma —
• Milan, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, Tennessee, and Washington —
• Minam, Oregon —
• Missouri — many residents of the U.S. state pronounce it
• Monson, Massachusetts —
• Montague, Texas —
• Montpelier, Virginia — , perhaps more intuitive than the US standard of Montpelier, Vermont and others (derived from Montpellier, France)
• Moscow, Idaho — (similar to the British English pronunciation of Moscow, Russia). Other Moscows in America are , the American English pronunciation of the Russian city.
• Mukilteo, Washington —
• Mulino, Oregon —

N

• Naches, Washington —
• Nacogdoches, Texas -
• Nahant, Massachusetts —
• Naselle, Washington —
• Natchitoches, Louisiana — ("nackətəsh")
• Neah Bay, Washington —
• Nenana, Alaska and Nenana River —
• Nespelem, Washington —
• Nevada — ; the pronunciation , while fairly common (particularly in the eastern United States), is stigmatized locally.
• Nevada County, Arkansas; Nevada, Iowa; and Nevada, Missouri —
• Newark, Ohio — ("nerk") vs. Newark, Delaware
• New Orleans — or (local pronunciation only)

O

• Ojai, California —
• Orcas Island, Washington — (not , like the plural of orca)
• Ouray, Colorado —
• Owyhee River and Owyhee County, Idaho —

P

• Palestine, Texas — (cf Palestine —
• Palouse, Washington —
• Pawtucket, Rhode Island — ("puh TUCK it" or "p'TUCK it")
• Peabody, Massachusetts — , not
• Pearrygin Lake, Washington —
• Pedernales River, Texas — ("perden alice")
• Pend Oreille County, Washington and Pend Oreille (also Pend d'Oreille) River — ("ponderay")
• Picabo, Idaho —
• Pierre, South Dakota — ("peer")
• Pfafftown, North Carolina — (Usually the p is silent in names starting with Pf)
• Piceance Creek & Basin, Colorado — or (“pee-ants”)
• Plano, Texas — ("PLAY-no")
• Plymouth, Massachusetts and elsewhere — ("plimmuth")
• Pojoaque Pueblo, New Mexico — ("puhWOKee") by Anglos only
• Poughkeepsie, New York — ("puhKIPsy")
• Poulsbo, Washington — ("PAHLZ-bow")
• Puget Sound, Washington — ("PEW-jit")
• Puyallup, Washington — ("pew-AL-up")

Q

• Quincy, Massachusetts — (“kwinzy”)
• Quitaque, Texas -
• Qulin, Missouri -

R

• Raleigh, North Carolina — (“rahly”)
• Refugio, Texas — (“refurio”)
• Rhea County, Tennessee — (“ray”)
• Riga, New York — (“righ-ga”)
• Rio Grande, Ohio — (“righ-o-grand”)
• Ruch, Oregon — (“roosh”)
• Russia, Ohio — (“ROO-she”)
• Rutherfordton, North Carolina — locally (“rulfton”) or variations on that

S

• Saline, Michigan and Saline County, Illinois — (“suh-lean”)
• Samish Island, Washington —
• Sammamish, Washington —
• San Jose, Illinois —
• San Rafael, California —
• San Xavier, Arizona —
• Schenectady, New York —
• Schuylkill in Pennsylvania — (“skookel”)
• SeaTac, Washington —
• Sedro-Woolley, Washington —
• Sekiu, Washington —
• Semiahmoo, Washington — ; (sĕʹmē-äʹmō)
• Sequim, Washington — (“skwim”)
• Shawangunk (Mountains, town and prison in Hudson Valley region of New York) — is preferred by residents of the area, although original pronunciation still used by visitors is more intuitive
• Shoshone, Idaho —
• Siuslaw River, Oregon —
• Skagit (name of a Native American tribe and various locales in Washington) —
• Skamokawa, Washington — (“ska-mock-a-way”)
• Sol Duc River, Washington — (the spelling “soleduck” is also encountered)
• Spokane, Washington — (“spo-can”)
• St. Maries, Idaho — (“St. Mary's”)
• Staunton, Virginia — (“stan-tin”)
• Stehekin, Washington —
• Steilacoom, Washington — (“stillakum”)
• Suisun City, California — (“se-SOON”)
• Swansea, Massachusetts —

T

• Taliaferro County, Georgia— (“tolliver”)
• Tanana, Alaska and Tanana River —
• Tekoa, Washington —
• Telocaset, Oregon —
• Tennessee —
• Terre Haute, Indiana —
• Tewksbury, Massachusetts — traditionally (“tooksbury”)
• The Dalles, Oregon —
• Thibodaux, Louisiana — (“tibbuhdoe”)
• Tieton, Washington —
• Tillamook County, Oregon — (although locals pronounce it intuitively, )
• Tok, Alaska —
• Tooele, Utah — (“to-will-a”)
• Topsail Beach, North Carolina — (“topsl”)
• Touchet River, Washington —
• Toutle River, Washington —
• Tripoli, Iowa —
• Tualatin, Oregon, Tualatin River -
• Tulare, California —
• Tucson, Arizona —
• Tygh Valley, Oregon — (“tie”)

V

• Valdez, Alaska —
• Vallejo, California —
• Veneta, Oregon —
• Verdi, Nevada —
• Versailles, Illinois, Versailles, Kentucky and Versailles, Ohio —
• Vienna, Illinois —

W

• Washington — or (considered an uncouth variant of )
• Wahkiakum County, Washington —
• Wallowa, Oregon, Wallowa County, and the Wallowa Mountains —
• Wallula, Washington —
• Weippe, Idaho —
• Weiser, Idaho — (“weezer”)
• Whitemarsh Island — (“witmarsh”)
• Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania — , , or (“wilks bear”)
• Willamette River, Oregon — (“wil-LAM-it”)
• Willapa River and Willapa Hills, Washington — (“WILL-a-paw”)
• Woburn, Massachusetts — (“woo-burn”), Woburn, Bedfordshire and Woburn, Toronto are simply (“woe-burn”)
• Worcester, Massachusetts — (“wooster”)

Y

• Yakima, Yakima County, and Yakima River, Washington — (“yak-a-maw”), though the pronunciation is also heard. The Native American people for whom the river, city, and county are named now prefer the spelling Yakama.
• Yachats, Oregon — (“yah-hahts”)
• Yaquina Bay and related place names in Oregon —
• Yocona River, Mississippi — (“yahk-nee”)
• Youghiogheny River, U.S. — (‘yah-kuh-GAIN-ee”)
• Yreka, California — (“why-reek-a”)

Z

• Zzyzx, California — (“zigh-zix”)

Place names in other English-speaking countries

A

• Agassiz, British Columbia —

B

• Baie d'Espoir, Newfoundland — , French for "Bay of Hope", ironically pronounced "Bay Despair"
• Brisbane, Australia —

C

• Cockburn, Australia —

G

• Gaultois, Newfoundland and Labrador —

J

• Job's Cove —

K

• Kelowna, British Columbia — (formerly pronounced )
• Keremeos, British Columbia —
• Kiribati (island nation in Pacific Ocean) — (spelling is regular in Gilbertese)
• Kiritimati (island in Pacific Ocean) — (spelling is regular in Gilbertese)

L

• Labrador, Canada —

M

• Melbourne, Australia — or

N

• Nanaimo, British Columbia —
• Newfoundland —

O

• Osoyoos, British Columbia — ("oh-sue-yoos") or

P

• Pago Pago, American Samoa — (pronounced by non-Samoan-speakers)

Q

• Quebec, Canada -
• Quesnel, British Columbia —
• Quidi Vidi, Newfoundland — (“kiddy viddy”)
• Quirpon, Newfoundland and Labrador — (“carpoon”)

S

• Saanich Peninsula and related place names in British Columbia —
• Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario/ Michigan — ("soo saint marie")
• Sechelt, British Columbia —
• Skidegate, British Columbia — (“skiddeget”)
• Stouffville, Ontario — (“sto-vil”)
• Summerland, British Columbia — (not )

T

• Thames River in Ontario, and town and firth in New Zealand — (the Thames River in Connecticut is pronounced )
• Tsawwassen, British Columbia —

Given names

• Aloysius — ("aloe-WISH-us")
• Chynna (Phillips) — (“china”)
• Geoffrey — (“jeffry”)
• Greig (Scottish/English surname or forename) — ("greg")
• Job — (“jobe”)
• John — (RP) (GA)
• Kaffe (Fassett) — (“kafe”)
• Kiki (Cuyler) — ("KYE-kye") (but see Kiki Dee and Kiki Vandeweghe — both , "KEE-kee")
• Liam — ("LEE-am")
• Magdalen(e) (as in Magdalen College, Oxford and Magdalene College, Cambridge) — (“maudlin”)
• MaliVai (Washington) — (“mal-a-VEE-a”)
• Matraca (Berg) — ("muhTRAYsuh")
• Michael —
• Michellie (Jones) — ("muh-KEE-lee")
• Phoebe — ("fee-bee"; regular English pronunciation of romanization of Greek Φοιβη)
• Picabo (Street) — (“peek-uh-boo”)
• Ralph — traditionally (“rafe”), as for Ralph Fiennes, Ralph Vaughan Williams; now usually the intuitive
• Regina — the female name is , but in British and Canadian place names (and in the legal Latin term for "queen") it is
• Rise — occasionally ("REE-suh"; after Risë Stevens: the diaeresis over the e of Risë indicates that it is not a silent e)
• Seamus — ("SHAME-us"; spelling Séamus is regular in Irish)
• Sean — ("shawn"; spelling Seán is regular in Irish)
• Siobhan — or ("shuVAWN"; spelling Siobhán is regular in Irish)
• Siouxsie (Sioux) — ("SUE-zee")
• Wynonna (Judd) — ("wye-NO-na")

Surnames

A-B

• Duke of Abercorn — (“avvercorn”)
• David Acer — (“acker”)
• Peter Agre — or ("ah-gree")
• Ameche (Don & Alan) — ("uh-MEE-chee") (Anglicized spelling for original Italian name "Amici")
• Aucoin — from (e.g. Kevyn Aucoin), , (e.g. Bill Aucoin), to
• Ayscough (e.g. Hannah Ayscough) — (“askew”)
• Walter Bagehot — (“badget”)
• Jim Bakker — (“baker”)
• Earl Beauchamp — (“beech’m”)
• Berkeley (English surname) — ("barkly"). Surname in the US .
• Bohun —
• Blount (e.g. Mel Blount, Roy Blount, Jr.) — ("blunt")
• Roger Boisjoly — ("beaujolais")
• Boulware (Virginia) — (“bowler”)
• John Boozman — ("bozeman")
• KC Boutiette — ("BOO-tee-ay")
• Duke of Buccleuch — ("buhCLUE")
• Steve Buyer — ("boo-yer")

C

• John Caius (as in Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge) — ("keys")
• Thomas Carew, poet — ("kerry")
• Craig Chaquico — ("cha-KEY-so")
• Mamah Cheney — ("mayma chayny")
• Cheves (e.g. Langdon Cheves) — (“chiv-is”)
• Cholmondeley — (“chumly”)
• Cecelia Cichan — ("SHE-han")
• Cockburn — ("co-burn")
• Colcolough (Virginia, e.g. Tom Colcolough) — ("coke-lee") or ("calkly")
• Colquhoun —
• Aaron Copland — ("copeland")
• Dan Cortese — ("cortez")
• Cowper — ("cooper")

• Crichton — ("crighton")
• Cruwys (e.g. Margaret Cruwys — ("cruise")
• Culzean Castle, Scotland — ("kuhLAIN")
• Cuyjet — ("soo-zhay")

D-E

• Vernon Dahmer —
• Dalyell and Dalziel (as in the UK television series Dalziel and Pascoe) — ("dee-EL")
• Davies — both ("Davis") and
• DeLaughter, e.g. Tim DeLaughter — ("DeLawter")
• Diuguid — (“do gid”)
• John Donne, poet — ("dun")
• Andre Dubus — (“duhBYOOS”)
• Justin Duchscherer — (“dooksher”)
• Keir Dullea — (“duh-lay”)
• Dyches — (“dikes”)
• Eames (e.g. Emma Eames) — (“aims”), though often just
• Cary Elwes — (“el-ways”)
• Enroughty (S. Carolina) — ("darby") 3

F-H

• Faneuil — or
• Ron Faucheux — ("foe-SHAY")
• Brett Favre — (“farv”)
• Featherstonehaugh — (“fanshaw”), also , , , or intuitively as *
• Paul Feig — (“feeg”)
• Fiennes — (“fines”)
• William Foege — (“fay-ghee”)
• Robert Fulghum — (“full jum”)
• Clifford Geertz — ("gurts")
• Geogehan, Geoghegan — ("gaygan")
• Louise Gluck — ("glick")
• Donald Glut — ("gloot")
• Lee Godie — ("GO-day")
• Elizabeth Goudge — ("goozh")
• Greenhalgh — or ("greenhalsh")
• Matt Groening — (“graining”)
• Grosvenor — ("grove-ner")
• Guild, e.g. Nancy Guild — ("guiled")
• Morgan and Paul Hamm — (“hahm”) (as opposed to Mia Hamm — , same as “ham”)
• Earl of Harewood — ("harwood")
• Earl of Home — (rhymes with fume)
• Benjamin Huger — ("oodgy") or
• William Hulme — (same as the earl of Home’s name)

I-L

• David Icke — (“ike”)
• Andrew P. Iosue — ("oz-way") 4
• Isley Brothers — (“eyes-lee”)
• Darrell Issa — (“eye-zuh”)
• Jacques — sometimes (e.g. Brian Jacques) (“jakes”)
• Hamilton Jordan — ("jerdən")
• John Keble (of Keble College) — (“keeble”)
• Kehoe, Keogh (Irish surname) —
• Kerr — sometimes (e.g. Deborah Kerr) “car”
• Keynes, e.g. John Maynard Keynes - ("canes")
• Karch Kiraly — ("keer-eye")
• Shia LaBeouf — ("luh-BUFF")
• Landrieu — ("LAN-droo")
• Lalor — ("LAW-ler")
• Lascelles (e.g. Alan Lascelles) — (rhymes with "tassels")
• Legaré (e.g. Hugh S. Legaré ) — (“luh-gree”)
• John Lescroart — ("less-kwah")
• Leveson-Gower (e.g. H. D. G. Leveson-Gower, Granville George Leveson-Gower) — (“Lewson-Gore”)
• Lewes, e.g. George Henry Lewes —

M

• Machin (e.g. Arnold Machin) — (“may-chin”)
• MacKay — in Scotland (to rhyme with "sky"), elsewhere more often the anglicised
• Mackay (e.g. Clarence Mackay) — (“macky”)
• MacLeod, McLeod — (“m’cloud”)
• MacMahon, McMahon — sometimes (“macMAN”)
• Mainwaring — (mannering) (non-fictional Mainwarings pronounce it the same)
• Robert Mapplethorpe — (“maplethorp”)
• Marjoribanks — (marsh banks)
• Marlborough —
• Maugham (e.g. Somerset Maugham) —
• Marin Mazzie — (“may-zee”)
• McCaughey (e.g. the McCaughey septuplets) — ("McCoy")
• Geraldine McCaughrean — (“McCorkren”)
• McGrath — In Ireland usually (“McGrah”), though elsewhere often
• McLean, MacLean — (“McLane”) 567, occasionally its anglicised equivalent (to rhyme with "clean")
• Meagher — (“mar”), (“maher”)
• David Mech — (“meech”)
• Melancon (e.g. Charlie Melancon) —
• Menzies — (“mingis”)
• Moog —
• Moragne (U.S.) —

N-Q

• Naifeh — (“nay-fee”)
• Bill Nighy — (“nigh”)
• Laura Nyro — (“nero”)
• Laurence Olivier —
• Ouzts — ("oots")
• Lou Piniella — (“puhNELuh”)
• Pole-Carew (e.g. Sir Reginald Pole-Carew) — (“Pool-Kerry”)
• Cliff Politte — (“poleet”)
• Pou (e.g. Edward W. Pou) — (“pew”)
• Prioleau (e.g. Pierson Prioleau) — (“pray-low”)
• Proulx (as in Marcel Proulx and E. Annie Proulx) —

R

• Raleigh (surname) — (“rawly”) (although pronounced by most people as )
• Rehm (e.g. Diane Rehm) — (“ream”)
• Pete Reiser — (“reeser”)
• Rhea (e.g. Caroline Rhea) — (“ray”)
• Rhys — (“reese”)
• Lisa Rieffel — (“ruhFEL”)
• Riordan (e.g. Richard Riordan, Mike Riordan) — often (“reardon”)
• Klaus Roth — ("roath")
• Marge Roukema — (“rockema”)
• Kirk Rueter — (“reeter”)
• Ed Ruscha — (“rooSHAY”)

S

• St John (first name and surname) — (as in Oliver St. John Gogarty); or intuitively or (as in Ian St. John).
• Schaffer, Shaffer — often rather than
• Terri Schiavo — (“shy-vo”) vs. regular Mary Schiavo
• Schlumberger — (“shlumberZHAY”)
• Patti Scialfa — (“skalfa”)
• Steven Seagal — (after Chagall; his father's name is simply pronounced )
• Junior Seau — ("say ow")
• Seay — sometimes (Seay, Mark Seay) , usually (“see”)
• Karen Sillas — ("sigh-less")
• Smellie (Scottish, e.g. William Smellie) — (“smiley”)
• Strachan — (“strawn”) (e.g. Gordon Strachan), , but now often
• Dana Suesse — (“swees”)

T-V

• Tal(l)iaferro — (“tolliver”)
• Roger Taney — (“tawny”)
• Lauren Tewes — (“tweeze”)
• Thome (e.g. Jim Thome) —
• Threatt (e.g. Sedale Threatt) — (“threet”)
• Todd Tiahrt — (“tea-heart”)
• Tilghman — (“tillman”)
• Tjoelker — ("choker")
• Tyrwhitt (e.g. Reginald Tyrwhitt) — (rhymes with “spirit”)
• Urquhart — (“urkert”)
• Vanderhorst (S. Carolina) (e.g. Arnoldus Vanderhorst — (“van dross”)
• Bill Veeck — (“vek”)

W-Z

• Waldegrave — (“war-grave”)
• Wein, Weiner — often and (“wiener”)
• Winzet — (“win-yet”)
• Wodehouse — (“woodhouse”)
• Worcester —
• Larry Woiwode — (“why woody”)
• Herman Wouk — (“woke”)
• Patricia Wrede — (“reedy”)
• Wriothesley — apparently anyone's guess: , , (“roxly”)
• Yeaton — (“yetten”)
• Yeend, e.g. Frances Yeend — (“yend”)
• Clayton Yeutter — (rhymes with “fighter”)

Online sources

• h2g2 guide to Pronouncing British Placenames
• How Do You Pronounce That Name? on genealogymagazine.com
• A Pronunciation Guide to Names of Public Figures

References

Pronunciations marked with * are from:

See also

• English spelling
• List of words of disputed pronunciation (includes names like Melbourne that are pronounced differently in different locations)