NameHacks: Name Pronunciation Guide

We've been wondering how we could make it easier for people to pronounce names on the go. While you can always grab our app for iOS, you might be caught in an interaction you weren't prepared for. We brainstormed for a while, and came up with NameHacks: a pronunciation guide that can help you have the confidence of a native speaker!

We've prepared a series of infographics for our languages at NameShouts, including links to our extensive database to help you get a handle on the basics. You can check out the pronunciation guide in infographic form below.

FRENCH: Drop the "H!"

French speakers don't pronounce the letter "H," barring some exceptions. If it's at the beginning of a word or name, you know it's silent! Some examples include the names Hérme, Henri and Héloïse.

SPANISH: "J" to "H."

In Spanish, the letter "J" is pronounced as "H." For example, Jesus sounds like HAI-SOOH-S, while Jorge sounds like HAW-R-HAY.

GREEK: "OSH"

The "OS" that ends a lot of longer Greek names is actually pronounced with a soft "OSH," rounding out the name. So, for example, Alexopoulos sounds like AH-LAI-K-SHAW-PL-AW-SH.

GERMAN: Take a "V."

With German names, the letter "W" is sometimes replaced with a "V," usually before "A" or "E." Walda and Oswald are good examples; the "Wal" will sound more like VAHL.

ITALIAN: Cino, Chino.

Ever ordered a Cappuccino? You might already know that "C" is sometimes a "CH" in Italian: it's pretty simple once you've got it. Think Marcello, or Concetta!

Download the PDF with clickable links from here.

Main Image Source: Photo by saeed karimi on Unsplash