Naming
Name pronunciation guide
Hear a name, get a plain-English respelling, and learn the patterns parents use most often.
How to read a respelling
- Capital syllables are stressed: EM-uh-lee not em-UH-lee.
- uh = soft vowel (about), ay = day, ee = see, eye = my.
- sh, ch, th keep their usual English sounds.
- Browser speech is a quick check — regional accents still vary.
Tricky patterns
- Siobhan → shiv-AWN · Saoirse → SEER-sha
- Xavier → ZAY-vee-er or ex-AY-vee-er
- Giovanni → joh-VAH-nee · Nguyen → nwin / nuh-WIN
- -ine endings: often een (Pauline) or in (Caroline)
- Silent letters: Chloe (KLOH-ee), Agnes (AG-niss)