Name Pronunciation

Hi Jennifer!

Sometimes when I’m looking at names on this site I’m not 100% certain of their pronunciation. Is there a way for you to add a sound bite or a pronunciation key to the names? I’m sure that would be a big task to undertake…

I love this site. I’ve been coming here for years for ideas! 🙂

Thanks,
Ricki

Dear Ricki,

Several years ago, we did start recording name pronunciations but found that we couldn’t do so. Why? Because pronunciation is dependent on many things: geographical location, ethnicity, and even the parent’s preference. I have two friends, for example, both named Dana. One pronounces it DAY-na, and the other DAN-na. The name Jaime, for example could be pronounced JAY-mee (for English speakers) or HI-may (for Spanish speakers).

Even the name Carrie is pronounced differently in Chicago than in New York City! Can you believe it?

Because of all these factors, we have opted to not put either a written or recorded pronunciation with the names.

Thank you for writing and for being a fan!

Sincerely,
Jennifer

 

Jennifer Moss (she/her) is the founder of BabyNames.com, author of The Baby Names Workbook, and Producer of The Baby Names Podcast. Jennifer is widely regarded as the leading expert on popular baby name trends and the naming process, serving as the authoritative source on the subject for national and international media.

Jennifer entered the tech arena in the 80s as a software developer and database architect, and became a pioneer in the Internet industry. In addition to operating BabyNames.com, Jennifer owns a web development agency in central California.