List of names in English with counterintuitive pronunciations

This is a set of lists of English personal and place names whose pronunciations are counterintuitive to their spelling, because the pronunciation does not correspond to the spelling, or because a better-known namesake has a markedly different pronunciation. The latter are known as heterophonic names (the opposite of homophones, which are written differently but pronounced the same).

Excluded are the numerous spellings which fail to make the pronunciation obvious without actually being at odds with it: for example, the pronunciation /skəˈnɛktədi/ of Schenectady is not immediately obvious, but neither is it counterintuitive.

See Wikipedia:IPA for English for guides to the IPA symbols used, and WP:United States dictionary transcription for a guide to the US dictionary symbols used.

Place names in Britain and Ireland

Pronunciations for the following common suffixes are regular pronunciations, despite being counterintuitive at first glance:

• -borough and -burgh – /-bʌrə, -brə/; (-bŭr·ə, -brə)
• -bury – /-bʌri, -bri/; (-bŭr·ē, -brē)
• -cester – /-stər/; (-stər)
• -gh – silent
• -ham – /-əm/; (-əm)
• -shire – /-ʃər, -ʃɪər/; (-shər, -shēr)
• -quay - /-kiː/
• -wich - /-ɪtʃ, -ɪdʒ// (-ĭch), -ĭch)
• -wick – /-ɪk/; (-ĭk)
• -mouth – /-məθ/; (-məth)

A

• Ahoghill, County Antrim – /æˈhɒhɪl/ or /æˈhɒxɪl/; (ă·hŏ′·hĭl) or (ă·hŏ′·khĭl)
• Aigburth, Liverpool – /ˈɛɡbərθ/; (ĕg′·bûrth)
• Alcester, Warwickshire – /ˈɒlstər/ or /ˈɔːlstər/
• Aldeburgh, Suffolk – /ˈɔːlbrə/; (ôl′·brə)
• Alnwick, Northumberland – /ˈænɪk/; (ă′·nĭk)
• Althorp, Northamptonshire – /ˈɔːltrəp/; (ôl′·trəp) beside intuitive /ˈɔːlθɔrp/; (ôl′·thôrp)
• Altrincham, Greater Manchester – /ˈɔːltrɪŋəm/; (ôl′·trĭng·əm)
• Alresford, Hampshire - /ˈˈɒlsfʉd/; (ˈɒls′·fʉd)
• Alverdiscott, Devon – /ˈɒlskɒt/
• Anstruther, Fife – /ˈeɪnstər/; (ān′·stər) beside intuitive /ˈænstrʌðər/; (ăn′·strŭdh·ər)
• Ashtead- /ˈæʃstɛd/
• Aslackby, Lincolnshire – /ˈeɪzəlbi/
• Athelstaneford, East Lothian – /ˈæθəlsteɪnfərd/ (ăth′·əl·stān·fərd) or /ˈeɪlsənfərd/ (āl′·sən·fərd)
• Auchinleck, Ayrshire – /ˈæflɛk/; (ăf′·lĕk) or intuitively /ˈɔːkɨnlɛk/ or /ˈɒxɨnlɛk/
• Averham, Nottinghamshire – /ˈɛərəm/; (ār′·əm)
• Aveton Gifford, Devon – /ˈɔːtən ˈdʒɪfərd/ (ôtən jĭf·fərd)
• Avoch, Highland – /ˈɔːx/ (ôkh)

B

• Balliol College, University of Oxford – /ˈbeɪliəl/; (bā′·lē·əl)
• Barham, Kent – /ˈbærəm/; (băr′·əm)
• Barholm, Lincolnshire – /ˈbærəm/; (băr′·əm)
• Barnoldswick, Lancashire - local pronunciation is /ˈbɑrlĭk/; (bâr'·lĭk)
• Barnstaple, Devon – /ˈbɑrnstəbəl/; (bârn′·stə·bəl)^{[citation needed]}
• Barugh, South Yorkshire – /ˈbɑrk/; (bârk)
• Great Barugh and Little Barugh, North Yorkshire – /ˈbɑrf/; (bârf)
• Beauchamp Roding, Essex – /biːtʃəm/; (bee′·chəm)
• Beauchief, Sheffield – /ˈbiːtʃɪf/; (bē′·chĭf)
• Beaudesert, Warwickshire – until recently /ˈbɛlzər/ (bĕl′·zər), reflecting original "Beldesert"
• Beaulieu, Hampshire – /ˈbjuːli/; (bū′·lē)
• Bellingham, Northumberland – /ˈbɛlɪndʒəm/; (bĕl′·ən·jəm) · (the city of Bellingham, Washington, U.S.A., is pronounced as spelled: /ˈbɛlɪŋhæm/, bĕ′·lĭng·hăm)
• Belvoir: Belvoir Castle and village, and Vale of Belvoir, Leicestershire; also Belvoir, an area of Belfast, Northern Ireland, with Belvoir Park Golf Club – /ˈbiːvər/; (bē′·vər)
• Berkeley (all English towns) – /ˈbɑrkli/; (bârk′·lē)
• Berkshire – /ˈbɑrkʃər/; (bârk′·shər)
• Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland – /ˈbɛrɪk/; (bĕr′·ĭk)
• Billericay, Essex – /ˌbɪləˈrɪki/; (bĭl′·ə·rĭk′·ē)
• Blackley, Greater Manchester – /ˈbleɪkli/; (blāk′·lē)
• Blidworth, Nottinghamshire – /ˈblɪdəθ/; (blīd′·əth)
• Bosham, West Sussex - /ˈbɒzəm/
• Boyounagh, County Galway – /ˈbwiːnəx/; (bwē′·nəkh)
• Bozeat, Northamptonshire – /ˈbəʊʒət/; (bōzh′·ət)
• Bradley, West Midlands – /ˈbreɪdli/; (brād′·lē)
• Brant Broughton, Lincolnshire – /ˈbrænt bru:tən; (brănt brōōt′·ən)
• Breaghwy, Connacht – /ˈbreɪfiː/; (brāf′·ē)
• Brewood, Staffordshire – /ˈbruːd/; (brōōd)
• Bridestowe, West Devon – /ˈbrɪdɪstoʊ/;
• Brougham, Cumbria – /ˈbruːm/; (brōōm)
• Burgh by Sands, Cumbria – /ˈbrʌf/; (brŭf)
• Bylaugh, Norfolk - /ˈbiːlə/;

C

• Cahir, County Tipperary – /ˈkɛər/; (kār)
• Caius College, Cambridge – /ˈkiːz/; (kēz)
• Caldmore, West Midlands – /ˈkɑːmər/; (kâ′·mər)
• Cambois, Northumberland – /ˈkæməs/; (kăm′·əs)
• Cambridge – /ˈkeɪmbrɪdʒ/; (kām′·brĭj) · (note that the River Cam and sometimes Cambridge, Gloucestershire are pronounced with /ˈkæm/; however, locals pronounce the latter /ˈkeɪmbrɪdʒ/; (kām′·brĭj))
• River Cherwell, river in England – /ˈtʃɑrwɛl/; (châr′·wĕl)
• Cheylesmore, Coventry – /ˈtʃɑːlzmɔr/; (châlz′·mor)
• Chideock – /ˈtʃɪdək/
• Cholmondeley, Cheshire – /ˈtʃʌmli/; (chŭm′·lē)
• Cholmondeston, Cheshire – /ˈtʃʌmstən/; (chŭm′·stən)
• Cirencester, Gloucestershire – now usually /ˈsaɪrənˌsɛstər/ (sī′·rən·sĕs·tər) but traditionally /ˈsɪsɨtər/ (sĭ′·sĭ·tər)
• Claughton, Lancashire – /ˈklæftən/; (klăf′·tən)
• Claughton on Brock, Lancashire – /ˈklaɪtən/; (klī′·tən)
• Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire – /ˈklɪbəri/; (klĭb′·ə·rē)
• Cloghore, County Donegal – /klaɪˈhɔər/; (klī·hôr′)
• Cobh, County Cork – /ˈkoʊv/; (kōv; Cóbh is regular in Irish)
• Cogenhoe, Northamptonshire – /ˈkʊknoʊ/; (kŏŏk′·nō)
• Congresbury, Somerset – /ˈkɒŋzbri/
• Costessey, Norfolk – /ˈkɒsi/; (kŏs′·ē)
• Cowden, Kent - /kaʊˈdɛn/; (kow·dĕn')
• Cowpen, Northumberland – /ˈkuːpɛn/; (kōō′·pĕn)
• Croxton Kerrial, Leicestershire - /ˈkroʊsən ˈkɛrɨl/; (krō′·sən ˈker′·il)
• Cruwys Morchard, Devon – /ˈkruːz/; (krōōz)
• Cuckfield, Sussex – /ˈkʊkfiːld/; (kŏŏk′·fēld) · (compare nearby Uckfield pronounced /ˈʌkfiːld/)
• Culross, Fife – /ˈkʊərɵs/; (kōō′·rŏs)
• Cultra, Northern Ireland – /kʌlˈtrɔː/; (kŭl·trô′)
• Culzean Castle, Ayrshire – /kəˈleɪn/; (kə·lān′)

D

• Daventry, Northamptonshire – now usually /ˈdævəntri/ (da′·vən·trē) but traditionally /ˈdeɪntri/ (dān′·trē)
• Denbigh, Wales – /ˈdɛnbi/; (den′·bē)
• Derby, Derbyshire – /ˈdɑrbi/; (dâr′·bē)
• Dodworth, South Yorkshire – /ˈdɒdərθ/
• Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin, Ireland - /dʌnˈlɪəri/
• Durham – /ˈdʌrəm/

E

• Edensor, Derbyshire – /ˈɛnzər/; (ĕn′·zər)
• Edenham, Lincolnshire – /ˈɛdnəm/
• Elsecar, South Yorkshire – /ɛlsɪˈkɑr/; (ĕl·sĭ·kâr′)
• Ely, Cambridgeshire – /ˈiːli/; (ē′·lē)
• Esher, Surrey – /ˈiːʃər/
• Eton, Berkshire – /ˈiːtən/
• Euxton, Lancashire – /ˈɛkstən/; (ĕks′·tən)
• Ewell, Surrey – /ˈjuːl/;
• Eyam, Derbyshire – /ˈiːm/; (ēm)
• Eynsham, Oxfordshire – /ˈɛnʃəm/;

F

• Farcet, Huntingdonshire/Cambridgeshire – /ˈfæsət/;
• Findochty, Moray – /ˈfɪnəxti/; (fĭn′·əkh·tē)
• Folkingham, Lincolnshire – /ˈfɒkɪŋəm/
• Fowey, Cornwall – /ˈfɔɪ/; (foi)
• Friockheim, Angus – /ˈfriːkəm/ (frē′·kŭm)
• Frome, Somerset – /ˈfruːm/; (frōōm)

G

• Garioch, Aberdeenshire – /ˈɡɪəri/; (gēr′·ē)
• Gateacre, Liverpool – /ˈɡætəkər/; (găt′·ə·kər)
• Gigha, Argyll and Bute – /ˈɡiːə/ (gē′·ə)
• Gillingham, Dorset - /ˈɡɪlɪŋəm/; (gil′·ing·əm) (but Gillingham, Kent is pronounced /ˈdʒɪlɪŋəm/ ((jil′·ing·əm))
• Glamis, Argyll and Bute – /ˈɡlɑːmz/ (glâmz)
• Glenzier, Dumfries and Galloway – /ˈɡlɪŋər/; (glĭng′·ər)
• Gloucester – /ˈɡlɒstər/
• Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire – /ˈɡʌmstər/
• Gotham, Nottinghamshire – /ˈɡoʊtəm/; (gō′·təm)
• Grandtully, Perthshire – /ˈɡræntli/ (grănt′·lē)
• Greenwich, Greater London – /ˈɡrɛnɨtʃ/ or /ˈɡrɪnɨtʃ/; (grĕn′·ĭch) or (grĭn′·ĭch)
• Greysouthen, Cumbria – /ˈɡreɪsuːn/; (grā′·sōōn)
• Groby, Leicestershire – /ˈɡruːbiː/; (grōō′·bē)
• Guildford, Surrey – /ˈɡɪlfərd/; (gĭl′·fərd)

H

• Happisburgh, Norfolk – /ˈheɪzbrə/; (hāz′·brə)
• Harewood House, West Yorkshire, – /ˈhɑrwʊd/; the adjacent village of Harewood is pronounced intuitively
• Haverholme, Lincolnshire - pronounced Av-Rum or Av-er-um
• Little Hautbois, Norfolk – /ˈhɒbɪs/
• Hawarden, Flintshire – /ˈhɑrdən/; (hâr′·dən)
• Hawick, Scottish Borders – /ˈhɔɪk/; (hoik) alongside intuitive /ˈhɔː.ɪk/ (hô′·ĭk)
• Heather, Leicestershire – /ˈhiːðər/; (hē′·dhər)
• Herstmonceux, East Sussex – /ˌhɝːsmənˈzuː/ or /-ˈsuː/
• Hessle, East Riding of Yorkshire – /ˈhɛzəl/; (hĕz′·əl)
• Holborn, London – /ˈhoʊbərn/; (hō′·bərn")
• Holnicote, Somerset – /ˈhʌnɨkɒt/
• Holyhead, Wales – /ˈhɒlihɛd/; (hŏl′·ē·hĕd)
• Holywell, Lincolnshire – /ˈhɒliwɛl/
• Hough-on-the-Hill, Lincolnshire – /ˈhɒf ɒn ðə hil/;
• Houghton-le-Spring – /ˈhoʊtən liː ˈsprɪŋ/;
• Hunstanton, Norfolk – /ˈhʌnstən/; (hŭns′·tən) alongside intuitive /hʌnˈstæntən/ (hŭn·stăn′·tən)

I

• Ide, Devon – /ˈiːd/
• Inistioge, County Kilkenny – /ɪnɪʃˈtiːɡ/; (ĭn·ĭsh·tēg′)
• Islay, island of the Inner Hebrides – /ˈaɪlə/; (ī′·lə)
• Isleworth, Greater London - /ˈaɪzəlwərθ/

K

• Keadby, Lincolnshire – /ˈkɪdbi/; (kĭd′·bē)
• Keighley, West Yorkshire – /ˈkiːθli/; (kēth′·lē)
• Kilchurn Castle, /ˈkɪlʌrn/
• Kilconquhar, Fife – /kɨnˈjʌxər/; (kĭn·yŭkh′·ər)
• Kilncadzow, South Lanarkshire, Scotland – /kɪlˈkeɪɡeɪ/; Kill-caig-eh
• Kiltimagh, County Mayo – /kɪltʃɨˈmɒk/; (kĭl·chĭ·mŏk′)
• Kingussie, Highland – /kɪŋˈjuːsi/; (kĭng·yōō′·sē)
• Kirkby, Merseyside – /ˈkɜrbi/; (kûr′·bē)
• Kirkcaldy, Fife – /kərˈkɔːdi/; (kər·kô′·dē)
• Kirkcudbright, Galloway – /kərˈkuːbri/; (kər·kōō′·brē)

L

• Laugharne, Carmarthenshire – /ˈlɑrn/; (lârn)
• Laughton, Lincolnshire – /ˈlaʊtən/
• Launceston, Cornwall – /ˈlɔːns(t)ən/ or /ˈlɑːns(t)ən/ (lôn′·stən, lôn′·sən or lân′·stən, lân′·sən) (versus Launceston, Tasmania, pronounced /ˈlɒnsəstən/ [lŏn′·səs·tən])
• Leap, County Cork – /ˈlɛp/; (lĕp)
• Leasingham, Lincolnshire – /ˈlɛ·zɪŋ·əm/; (lĕz′·ing·əm)
• Leicester – /ˈlɛstər/; (lĕs′·tər)
• Leigh, Kent and Leigh, Surrey – /ˈlaɪ/; (lī)
• Leighlin and Leighlinbridge, County Carlow – /ˈlɒxlɪn/ (Also with /k/ instead of /x/)
• Leominster, Herefordshire – /ˈlɛmstər/; (lĕm′·stər) · (compare Leominster, Massachusetts below)
• Liskeard, Cornwall – /lɪˈskɑrd/; (lĭ·skârd′)
• Loose, Kent – /ˈluːz/; (lōōz)
• Loughborough, Leicestershire – /ˈlʌfbrə/; (lŭf'·brə)
• Lostwithiel, Cornwall – /lɒsˈwɪθiəl/; (lŏs·wĭth′·ē·əl)
• Ludgvan, Cornwall – /ˈlʌdʒən/;
• Lympne, Kent – /ˈlɪm/; (lĭm)

M

• Magdalen College, Oxford and Magdalene College, Cambridge – /ˈmɔːdlɪn/; (môd′·lĭn)
• Magdalen Hill, Winchester, Hampshire – /ˈmɔːn/; (môn)
• Manea, Cambridgeshire - /ˈmeɪniː/
• Marholm, Peterborough, Northwest Cambridgeshire – /ˈmærəm/; (măr′·əm)
• Marlborough, Wiltshire – /ˈmɔːlbrə/; (môl′·brə)
• Marylebone, London – /ˈmɑrlɪbən/, /ˈmærɪbən/, or /ˈmærɪlɨbən/
• Masham, North Yorkshire – /ˈmæsəm/; (măs′əm)
• Meols, the Wirral, Merseyside – /ˈmɛlz/; (mĕlz)
• Meols Cop, Southport – /ˈmiːlz/; (mēlz)
• Meopham, Kent – /ˈmɛpəm/; (mĕp′·əm)
• Mildenhall, Wiltshire – /ˈmaɪnəl; (mī′·nəl)^{[citation needed]}
• Milngavie, Dunbartonshire – /məlˈɡaɪ/ (məl·gī′)
• Mousehole, Cornwall – /ˈmaʊzəl/; (mou′·zəl)
• Murray Park, Glasgow and Moray, County of Moray - /ˈmʌri/;
• Mweelrea, County Mayo – /mweɪlˈriːə/ ; (mwāl·rē′·ə)
• Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire – /ˌmaɪðəmˈrɔɪd/; (mī′·dhəm·royd′)

N

• Naas, County Kildare, Ireland – /ˈneɪs/; (nās)
• Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland – /ˈneɪ/; (nā)
• River Nene, Northamptonshire – /ˈnɛn/; (nĕn) alongside intuitive /niːn/; (nēn)
• Norwich, Norfolk – /ˈnɒrɨdʒ/; (nŏr′·ĭj)

O

• Olney, Buckinghamshire – /ˈɔːniː/ (ô′·nē) (local pronunciation); /ˈoʊlniː/ (ōl′·nē)
• Osbournby, Lincolnshire – /ˈɒznbi/
• Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire – /ˈɒzəltwɪzəl/ (ŏz′·l·twĭz·l); (ŏz′·twĭs·l) (local pronunciation);^{[citation needed]} /ɒzwəl(d)twɪsəl/ (ŏz′·wəl(d)·twĭs·əl)
• Ovingham, Northumberland – /ˈɒvɪndʒəm/
• Owenabue, river in County Cork – /oʊnəˈbwiː/ (ō·nə·bwē′)

P

• Painswick, Gloucestershire, /ˈpeɪnzwĭk/
• Plaistow
  • Plaistow, Newham, Greater London – /ˈplɑːstaʊ/
  • Plaistow, West Sussex – /ˈplɑːstaʊ/
• Plymouth, Devon – /ˈplɪməθ/; (plĭm′·əth)
• Portesham, Dorset – /ˈpɒsəm/ (old-fashioned), currently /ˈpɔrtɨʃəm/ or /ˈpɔrtsəm/
• Postwick, Norfolk – /ˈpɔːzɨk/
• Poxwell, Dorset – /ˈpoʊkswɛl/
• Prideaux Castle, Cornwall – /ˈprɪdəks/
• Prinknash, Gloucestershire – /ˈprɪnɨʃ/ (prĭn′·nish)
• Prudhoe, Northumberland - /ˈprʌdə/ (pru' dor)
• Puncknowle, Dorset – /ˈpʌnəl/ (pŭn′·əl)

Q

• Quadring, Lincolnshire - (Kway-dring)
• Quernmore, Lancashire - (kwor-mer)

R

• Rainworth, Nottinghamshire – /ˈrɛnəθ/; (rĕn′·əth)
• Ratlinghope, Shropshire – /ˈrætʃʌp/; (răt′·shŭp) (debatable)
• Ravenstruther, Lanarkshire – /ˈrɛnstri/; ren-stray
• Reading, Berkshire – /ˈrɛdɪŋ/; (rĕd′·ĭng)
• Rievaulx, North Yorkshire – /ˈriːvoʊ/; (rē′·vō)
• Rocester, Staffordshire – /ˈroʊstə(r)/; (rō′·stə(r))
• Ruislip, London – /ˈraɪslɪp/
• Ruthven, Aberdeenshire – /ˈrɪvən/; (rĭv′·ən)

S

• St. Ive, Cornwall – /ˈiːv/; (ēv) · (however, St Ives is pronounced /ˈaɪvz/)
• St. Teath, Cornwall – /ˈtɛθ/; (tĕth)
• Salisbury, Wiltshire – [ˈzɔːzbri]; (zôz′·brē) (local pronunciation) · /ˈsɒlzbri/ or /ˈsɔːlzbri/; (sŏlz′·brē) or (sôlz′·brē)
• Sandwich, Kent - /sændwɪtʃ, -ɪdʒ/
• Sanquhar, Dumfries and Galloway – /ˈsæŋkər/
• Scone, Perthshire – /ˈskuːn/ (rhymes with "spoon")
• Shrewsbury, Shropshire – /ˈʃroʊzbri/; (shrōz'brē) or /ˈʃruːzbri/; (shrōōz'brē)
• Shaftesbury Avenue, Central London – /ˈʃæfsbri/; (shafs'brē)
• Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire – pronunciation varies /ˈslæwɪt/, /ˈslæθwɪt/; (slă′·wĭt)
• Smethwick, West Midlands – /ˈsmɛðɨk/; (smĕdh′·ik)
• Southwark, Greater London – /ˈsʌðərk/; (sŭdh′·ərk); locally [ˈsʌvək]; (sŭv′·ərk)
• Southwell, Nottinghamshire – /ˈsʌðəl/ or /ˈsaʊθwəl/; (sŭdh′·əl or sowth′·wəl)
• Southwick, Hampshire - /ˈsʌðɨk/; (sŭdh′·ik) - however Southwick, West Sussex is pronounced /ˈsaʊθwɨk/; (sowth′·wik)
• Sproxton, Leicestershire – /ˈsproʊsən/
• Staithes, North Yorkshire – locally /ˈstɪərz/ (stērz)
• Stawell, Somerset – /ˈstɒl/ (stŏl)
• Steyning, West Sussex – /ˈstɛniŋ/;
• Stiffkey, Norfolk – /ˈstjuːkiː/; (stū′·kē); (though it can be pronounced /ˈstɪfkiː/)
• Stivichall or Styvechale, Coventry – /ˈstaɪtʃəl/; (stī′·chəl)
• Strabane, County Tyrone – /strəˈbæn/; (strə·băn′)
• Strathaven, South Lanarkshire – /ˈstreɪvən/; (strā′·vən)
• River Suir in Leinster, Ireland – /ˈʃʊər/; (shōōr)
• Stroxton, Lincolnshire – /ˈstrɔːsən/

T

• Tacolneston, Norfolk – /ˈtækəlstən/; (tăk′·əl·stən)
• Tallaght, County Dublin – /ˈtælə/; (tăl′·ə)
• Teignmouth, Devon – /ˈtɪnməθ/; (tĭn′·məth)
• Teston, Kent – /ˈtiːsən/; (tē′·sən)
• River Thames – /ˈtɛmz/; (tĕmz) · (the Thames River in Connecticut is pronounced /ˈθeɪmz/)
• Threekingham, Lincolnshire – /ˈθrɛkɪŋɡəm/
• Tideswell, Derbyshire – /ˈtɪdsəl/; (tĭd′·səl)
• Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire – /tɪlɪˈcutrɪ/; (tĭ·lĭ·kōō·trĭ)
• Tintwistle, Derbyshire – /ˈtɪnsəl/; (tĭn′·səl)
• Todmorden, West Yorkshire – /ˈtɒdmərdən/ is the most common pronunciation although the BBC uses /ˈtɒdmɔrdən/.
• Torpenhow, Cumbria – /trəˈpɛnə/ (trə·pĕn′·ə) (local pronunciation) · (elsewhere pronounced /ˈtɔrpənhaʊ/)
• Towcester, Northamptonshire – /ˈtoʊstər/; (tōs′·tər)
• Trewoon, Cornwall – /ˈtruː.ən/; (trōō′·ən)
• Trottiscliffe, Kent – /ˈtrɒzli/; (trŏz′·lē)

U

• Udny, Aberdeenshire - /ˈwɪdnɪ/ (wid'·ni)
• Uttoxeter, Staffordshire – (ˈjuːˈtɒksɪ-tər
• Ulgham, Northumberland – /ˈʌfəm/ (ŭf′·əm)

W

• Warwick and Warwickshire – /ˈwɒrɨk/; (wŏr′·ik) · /ˈwɒrɨkʃər/; (wŏr′·ik·shər)
• Wavertree, Lancashire – /ˈwɔːtri/ (obsolete)
• Market Weighton, East Riding of Yorkshire – /ˈwiːtən/; (wēt′·n)
• Welwyn – /ˈwɛlɨn/ (wĕl′·ĭn)
• Wemyss Bay, Inverclyde – /ˈwiːmz/ (wēmz)
• Wesham, Lancashire - /ˈWəsəm
• Whittingham, Northumberland – /ˈwɪtɪndʒəm/
• Widecombe, Devon – /ˈwɪdɪkəm/
• Wisbech, Cambridgeshire – /ˈwɪzbiːtʃ/ (wĭz′·bēch)
• East Woodhay and West Woodhay – /ˈwʊdi/; (wŏŏd′·ē)
• Woolfardisworthy, Devon – /ˈwʊlzi/ or /ˈwʊlzəri/; (wŏŏl′·zē) or (wŏŏl′·zər·ē)
• Worcester – /ˈwʊstər/ (wŏŏs′·tər)
• Worstead, Norfolk, pron. Wuss - ted
• Wrotham, Kent – /ˈruːtəm/ (rŏŏt′·əm)
• Wybunbury, Cheshire – /ˈwɪnbri/; (wĭn′·brē)
• Wycombe, Buckinghamshire – /ˈwɪkəm/; (wĭk′·əm)
• Wymondham, Norfolk – /ˈwɪndəm/; (wĭn′·dəm) (local pronunciation)
• Wytham, Oxfordshire – /ˈwaɪtəm/; (wī′·təm)

Y

• Yeavering, Northumberland – /ˈjɛvəriŋ/
• Yeaton – /ˈjɛtən/ (YET-ən)
• Youghal, County Cork, Ireland – /ˈjɔːl/; (yôl)

Z

• Zouch, Nottinghamshire – /ˈzɒtʃ/; (zŏch)
• Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire – /ˈzuːʃ/; (zōōsh)

Place names in the United States of America

A

• Aberdeen, Washington – stressed on the first syllable (/ˈæbərdiːn/), unlike Aberdeen, Scotland, which is stressed on the final syllable
• Abiquiu, New Mexico – /ˈæbəkjuː/
• Acequia, Idaho – /əˈsiːkwə/
• Achilles, Kansas – /əˈkɪlɪs/ (Achilles is /əˈkɪliːz/)
• Aloha, Oregon – /əˈloʊ.ə/
• Arab, Alabama and Arab, Missouri – /ˈeɪræb/
• Arkansas – /ˈɑrkənsɔː/ (AR-kən-saw). However, Arkansas City, Kansas is pronounced /ɑrˈkænzəs/ (ar-KAN-zəs), as is the Arkansas River to many Kansans.
• Armada, Michigan - /'ɑɹmeiːɾʌ/
• Athens, Kentucky, Athens, Illinois and New Athens, Illinois – /ˈeɪθənz/
• Au Sable, New York, and the river of that name - /ɔːˈseɪbəl/ or /aʊseɪbəl/ (aw-SAY-bil or ow-SAY-bil)

B

• Bahama, North Carolina – /bəˈheimə/
• Barre, Vermont – /ˈbæri/
• Beatrice, Alabama and Beatrice, Nebraska – /biːˈætrɨs/; usually Beatrice is /ˈbiːətrɨs/
• Beaufort, South Carolina – /ˈbjuːfərt/ vs. /ˈboʊfərt/ of Beaufort, North Carolina
• Belen, New Mexico – /bəˈlɪn/
• Bellefontaine, Ohio – /bɛlˈfaʊntɨn/
• Benld, Illinois – /bəˈnɛld/
• Bergen, New York – /ˈbɜrdʒɨn/
• Berlin, Connecticut; New Berlin, Illinois; Berlin, Massachusetts; Berlin, New Hampshire; New Berlin, New York; New Berlin, New York; Berlin, Ohio; Berlin, Wisconsin; and New Berlin, Wisconsin – /ˈbɜrlɨn/ (stress on first syllable)  listen 
• Bexar, Texas – /ˈbeɪ.ər/ or /ˈbɛr/
• Billerica, Massachusetts – /bɪl(ə)ˈrɪkə/
• Bingen, Washington – /ˈbɪndʒən/
• Biscay, Minnesota – /ˈbɪski/ (cf Biscay /bɨˈskeɪ/)
• Boerne, Texas – /ˈbɜrni/
• Bois D'Arc, Missouri – /ˈboʊdɑrk/
• Boise, Idaho – /ˈbɔɪsi/ (this is the standard local pronunciation, but most Americans, especially those far removed from Idaho, pronounce it /ˈbɔɪzi/)
• Boise City, Oklahoma – The "Boise" in this place name is locally pronounced /ˈbɔɪs/, 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 Township, Benton County, Indiana, Bolivar, Missouri, Bolivar County, Mississippi, Bolivar, New York, Bolivar, Ohio, Bolivar, Pennsylvania, Mount Bolivar, Oregon, Bolivar, Tennessee, Bolivar, West Virginia – all named for Simón Bolívar but pronounced /ˈbɒlɨvər/, as if to rhyme with "oliver"
• Bossier City, Louisiana – /ˈboʊʒər/
• Bowie, Maryland – /ˈbuːi/
• Buena Vista, Colorado, Buena Vista, Oregon, Buena Vista, Virginia, Buena Vista, Shelby County, Texas, Buena Vista, Iowa – /ˌbjuːnəˈvɪstə/
• Buddha, Indiana – /ˈbuːdi/
• Buhl, Idaho – /ˈbjuːl/
• Burien, Washington – /ˈbjʊəriən/

C

• Cairo, Georgia and Cairo, Mississippi – /ˈkeɪ.roʊ/
• Cairo, Illinois, Cairo, Ohio, and Cairo, New York – /ˈkɛəroʊ/  listen 
• Calais, Maine and Calais, Vermont – /ˈkælɨs/  listen  (The town of Calais in France was formerly also pronounced /ˈkælɨs/ in English; today /kæleɪ/, with initial stress in British English and final stress in American English, is the normal pronunciation.)
• Camano Island, Washington – /kəˈmeɪnoʊ/
• Casa Grande, Arizona – /ˈkæsə ˈɡrænd/ or /ˈkæsə ˈɡrændi/ (though also sometimes as anticipated by Spanish pronunciation rules)
• Camp Hill, Pennsylvania – /kæmˈpɪl/
• Canyon de Chelly, Arizona – /ˈʃeɪ/
• Castile, New York /ˈkɒstaɪl/
• Celina, Texas – /səˈlaɪnə/
• Chartres Street, New Orleans – /ˈtʃartər/
• Chatham, Massachusetts, Chatham, New Jersey and Chatham, New York – /ˈtʃætəm/
• Chehalis, Washington – /ʃəˈheɪlɨs/
• Chelan, Chelan County, and Lake Chelan, Washington – /ʃɨˈlæn/, ( shə-lăn′)
• Cherryville, North Carolina – /ˈtʃɜrvɨl/
• Chewelah, Washington – /tʃɨˈwiːlə/
• Chicago – /ʃɨˈkɑːɡoʊ/
• Chickasha, Oklahoma – /ˈtʃɪkəʃeɪ/
• Chili, New York – /ˈtʃaɪlaɪ/, though indeed named after the country Chili/Chile
• Clatskanie, Oregon – /ˈklætskənaɪ/
• Coeur d'Alene, Idaho – /kɔrdəˈleɪn/
• Columbus, Ohio – /ˈklʌmbɨs/ (non-standard)
• Conneaut, Ohio and Conneautville, Pennsylvania – /ˈkɒni.ɔːt/
• Conetoe, North Carolina – /kəˈniːtə/
• Connecticut – /kəˈnɛtɨkɨt/
• Copalis Beach, Washington – /koʊˈpeɪlɨs/
• Coquille, Oregon – /koʊˈkiːl/
• Cordele, Georgia – /kɔrˈdiːl/ (kor-DEEL)
• Corfu, New York – /ˈkɔrfjuː/
• Cudahy, California – /ˈkʌdəheɪ/ or /ˈkuːdəhaɪ/

D

• Delhi, California, Delhi, Iowa, Delhi, Louisiana, and Delhi, New York – all /ˈdɛlhaɪ/
• Des Moines, Washington – /dɨˈmɔɪnz/
• Des Plaines, Illinois /dɛsˈpleɪnz/
• Deschutes River, Oregon, and Deschutes River, Washington – /dɨˈʃuːts/
• Mount Desert Island, Maine – /dɨˈzɜrt/ to add to the confusing pronunciation of desert and dessert
• Duarte, California – /ˈdwɔərti/
• DuBois, Pennsylvania and Dubois County, Indiana – /duːˈbɔɪz/ or /duːˈbɔɪs/ vs. the surname, which is sometimes /duːˈbwɑː/
• Duenweg, Missouri – /dʌnəˈwɛɡ/
• Dungeness River and Dungeness Spit, Washington – /ˈdʌndʒɨnɨs/

E

• El Dorado, Arkansas, El Dorado, Kansas, El Dorado Springs, Missouri, and Eldorado, Illinois – /ˌɛldəˈreɪdoʊ/  listen 
• Elbe, Washington – /ˈɛlbiː/
• Elgin, Illinois – /ˈɛldʒɨn/ vs. Elgin, Texas /ˈɛlɡɨn/
• Elizabethton, Tennessee – /ɨˌlɪzɨˈbiːθən/
• Embarras River, Illinois – /ˈæmbrɔː/
• Ephrata, Washington – /iˈfreɪtə/ (unlike the Borough of Ephrata, Pennsylvania, which is pronounced /ˈɛfrətə/)
• Estacada, Oregon – /ˌɛstəˈkeɪdə/

F

• Faneuil Hall, Boston, Massachusetts – /ˈfæn(j)əl/
• Fremont, California - /ˈfriːmɒnt/
• Fries, Virginia – /ˈfriːz/

G

• Galice, Oregon – /ɡəˈliːs/
• Galveston, Indiana – /ɡælˈvɛstən/ vs /ˈɡælvɨstən/ for Galveston, Texas
• Gloucester, Massachusetts —/ˈɡlɔːstər/.
• Gogebic County, Michigan - /ɡoʊˈɡiː.bɪk/ (go-GEE-bik)
• Greenwich, Connecticut, Greenwich, New Jersey, Greenwich, New York and Greenwich Village in New York City – /ˈɡrɛnɨtʃ/
• Gruene, Texas – /ˈɡriːn/

H

• Haverhill, Massachusetts – /ˈheɪv(ə)rɪl/
• Havre, Montana – /ˈhævər/
• Havre de Grace, Maryland – /ˈhævər dɨ ˈɡreɪs/
• Hereford, Texas and Hereford, Pennsylvania – /ˈhɜrfərd/
• Hindman, Kentucky – locally /ˈhɪmən/ (the more intuitive /ˈhaɪndmən/ is common outside Eastern Kentucky)
• Hockessin, Delaware – /ˈhoʊkɨsɨn/
• Holcomb, Missouri – /ˈhɔːkəm/
• Houston, Delaware, Houston, Georgia and Houston Street (Manhattan) – /ˈhaʊstən/, vs the better known, irregularly pronounced /ˈ(h)juːstən/ of Houston, Texas, named via Sam Houston after Houston, Scotland, a concatenation of "Hu's town"
• Huger, South Carolina – /ˈhjuːdʒi/ or /ˈjuːdʒi/
• Hurricane, Utah, Hurricane, West Virginia and Hurricane, Mississippi – /ˈhɜrɨkən/ (The /-ən/ ending is standard in the British pronunciation of hurricane, but not in American English)
• Hyak, Washington – /ˈhaɪ.æk/

I

• Iaeger, West Virginia – /ˈjeɪɡər/
• Illinois – /ˌɪlɨˈnɔɪ/
• Ilwaco, Washington – /ɪlˈwɑːkoʊ/
• Inez, Kentucky - /ˈaːniːz/ (/-neez/ locally)
• Ironton, Ohio – /ˈɑrntən/
• Ischua, New York – /ˈɪʃweɪ/
• Isla Vista, California – /ˈaɪlə ˈvɪstə/
• Iselin, New Jersey – /ˈɪzlən/
• Isle au Haut, Maine – /ˈaɪləhoʊ/
• Islip, New York – /ˈaɪslɨp/
• Italy, Texas – /ˈɪtli/, with two syllables only

J

• Strait of Juan de Fuca – /wɑːndəˈfjuːkə/
• Julian, Pennsylvania – /dʒuːliˈæn/

K

• Kalaloch, Washington – /ˈkleɪlɒk/
• Kamela, Oregon – /kəˈmiːlə/
• Kamiah, Idaho – /ˈkæmi.aɪ/
• Kearney, Missouri, Kearney, Nebraska and Kearny, New Jersey – /ˈkɑrni/
• Keechelus Lake, Washington – /ˈkɛtʃələs/
• Kissimmee, Florida – Stress on the second syllable
• Kosciusko, Mississippi – /kɒziˈɛskoʊ/
• Kosciusko County, Indiana – /kɒsiˈɒskoʊ/
• Kountze, Texas – /ˈkuːnts/
• Kure Beach, North Carolina – /ˈkjʊəri/

L

• Lac Courte Oreilles, Wisconsin – /ləˌkuːtəˈreɪ/
• Lafayette in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee – /lɨˈfeɪ.ət/ vs. the cities in Indiana and Louisiana that are pronounced /lɑːfaɪˈɛt/, approximating the original French
• La Grande, Oregon – /ləˈɡrænd/
• La Jolla, California – /ləˈhɔɪ.ə/
• Lake Oswego, Oregon – /ɒzˈwiːɡoʊ/
• Lamesa, Texas – /ləˈmiːsə/
• La Plata, Maryland – /ləˈpleɪtə/  listen 
• Lapwai, Idaho – /ˈlæpwaɪ/
• Latah, Washington and Latah County, Idaho – /ˈleɪtɑː/
• Leakey, Texas – /ˈleɪki/
• Lebam, Washington – /ləˈbæm/
• Lebanon, New Hampshire – /ˈlɛbənən/ or even /ˈlɛbnən/
• Leicester, Massachusetts – /ˈlɛstər/
• Lemhi County, Idaho – /ˈlɛmhaɪ/
• Lemoore, California – officially /ˈliːmɔr/ after the founder, quickly becoming /ləˈmɔr/ due to its spelling and the number of new people moving into the town
• Leominster, Massachusetts – /ˈlɛmɨnstər/
• Lewes, Delaware – /ˈljuːɪs/
• Lima, Ohio – /ˈlaɪmə/
• Lodi, California, and elsewhere in US – /ˈloʊdaɪ/
• Lompoc, California – /ˈlɒmpoʊk/
• Louisville, Colorado, Louisville, Georgia, Louisville, Ohio – /ˈluːɨsvɨl/ vs. Louisville, Kentucky /ˈluːivɨl/, locally /ˈluːəvəl/ or even /ˈlʊvəl/
• Lowville, New York - /laʊvɪl/

M

• Mackinac Island, Michigan – /ˈmækɨnɔː/
• Madras, Oregon – /ˈmædrəs/
• Madrid, Alabama, Madrid, New Mexico, and New Madrid, Missouri – /ˈmædrɪd/
• Malad City, Idaho and Malad River – /məˈlæd/
• Malheur County, Oregon and Malheur River – /ˈmælhjər/
• Manchaca, Texas – /ˈmæntʃæk/
• Manor, Texas – /ˈmeɪnər/
• Mantua, Utah – /ˈmænəweɪ/
• Marquam, Oregon – /ˈmɑrkəm/
• Marseilles, Illinois – /mɑrˈseɪlz/
• Maury County, Tennessee – /ˈmɜrreɪ/
• Medina, Ohio, Washington and New York – /mɨˈdaɪnə/
• Mesa, Washington – /ˈmiːsə/
• Methow, Washington – /ˈmɛtaʊ/
• Mexia, Texas – /məˈheɪə/  listen 
• Miami, Oklahoma – /maɪˈæmə/ (as opposed to the commonly known pronunciation of Miami, Florida)
• Milan, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, Tennessee, and Washington – /ˈmaɪlən/  listen 
• Minam, Oregon – /ˈmaɪnəm/
• Minot, North Dakota - /maɪnɒt/
• Missouri – The "ss" represents /z/ in either common pronunciation: /mɨˈzʊəri/ or /mɨˈzɜrrə/
• Mobile, Alabama – /moʊˈbiːl/ (moh-BEEL)
• Monson, Massachusetts – /ˈmʌnsən/
• Montague, Texas – /ˈmɒntæɡ/
• Montpelier, Virginia – /mɒntpəˈlɪr/, perhaps more intuitive than the US standard /mɒntˈpiːliər/ of Montpelier, Vermont and others. all derived from Montpellier, France (/mɔ̃pɛˈlje/)
• Moscow, Idaho – /ˈmɒskoʊ/ (similar to the British English pronunciation of Moscow, Russia). Other Moscows in America are /ˈmɒskaʊ/, the American English pronunciation of the Russian city.
• Mukilteo, Washington – /ˌmʌkəlˈtiː.oʊ/
• Mulino, Oregon – /məˈlaɪnoʊ/

N

• Naches, Washington – /ˈnætʃiːz/
• Nacogdoches, Texas – /ˌnækəˈdoʊtʃɨs/
• Nahant, Massachusetts – /nəˈhɑːnt/
• Naselle, Washington – /neɪˈsɛl/
• Natchitoches, Louisiana – /ˈnækɨtəʃ/
• Neah Bay, Washington – /ˈniːə/
• Nenana, Alaska and Nenana River – /niːˈnænə/
• Nespelem, Washington – /nɛsˈpiːləm/
• Netarts, Oregon – /ˈniːtɑrts/
• Nevada – /nəˈvædə/; the pronunciation /nəˈvɑːdə/, while fairly common (particularly in the eastern United States), is stigmatized locally.
• Nevada County, Arkansas; Nevada, Iowa; and Nevada, Missouri – /nəˈveɪdə/
• Newark, Ohio – /ˈnɜrk/ vs. Newark, New Jersey /ˈnuːərk/ vs. Newark, Delaware and Newark, New York /ˈnuːɑrk/
• New Berlin, six locations in the United States – (see Berlin)
• New Orleans – /nuˈːɔrlɨnz/ or [ˈnɔrlɨnz] (local pronunciation only)
• New Madrid, Missouri – /ˈmædrɪd/ (accent on first syllable)
• New Prague, Minnesota – /ˈpreɪɡ/
• Norfolk, Nebraska – pronounced "Norfork"
• Norfolk, Virginia - /ˈnɒːfʊk/ (NAW-fuuk) Popular navy wordplay notwithstanding, the vowel in the last syllable is unstressed, very short, and closed, and sounds closer to the "oo" in Crofoot than to the "u" in truck. Locals born in or after the last half of the 20th Century, who have partly or wholly adopted the American Broadcast Accent, often pronounce the name /ˈnɔɻfɪk/ (NOR-fik).

O

• Ojai, California – /ˈoʊhaɪ/
• Ontonagon, Michigan - /ˌɒntəˈnɑːɡən/ (ON-tə-NAH-gən)
• Orcas Island, Washington – /ˈɔrkəs/ (not /ˈɔrkəz/, like the plural of orca)
• Ouray, Colorado – /ˈjʊəreɪ/
• Owyhee River and Owyhee County, Idaho – /oʊˈwaɪhi/

P

• Palacios, Texas – /pəˈlæʃəs/ (pə-LASH-əs)
• Palermo, North Dakota – /ˈpælərmoʊ/ (PAL-ər-moh)
• Palestine, Texas – /ˈpælɛstiːn/ (cf Palestine /ˈpælɨstaɪn/)
• Palo Gaucho Bayou, Texas – /ˈpɑːli ˈɡɑːtʃ/ "Polly-gotch"
• Palouse, Washington – /pəˈluːs/
• Pass Christian, Mississippi – /ˌpæs krɪsˈtʃæn/ or /ˌpæs krɪstʃiːˈæn/ (cf. the regular pronunciation of "Christian", /ˈkrɪstʃən/)
• Pawtucket, Rhode Island – /pəˈtʌkɨt/ (pə-TUCK-it)
• Peabody, Massachusetts – /ˈpiːbədi/, not /ˈpiːˈbɒdi/
• Pearrygin Lake, Washington – /ˈpɛərɨdʒɪn/
• Pedernales River, Texas – /ˌpɜrdəˈnælɨs/ (PUR-dən-AL-iss)
• Pend Oreille County, Washington and Pend Oreille (also Pend d'Oreille) River – /pɒndəˈreɪ/ (pon-də-RAY), compare to the similarly pronounced nearby town of Ponderay, Idaho.
• Picabo, Idaho – /ˈpiːkəbuː/
• Pierre, South Dakota – /ˈpɪər/
• Pfafftown, North Carolina – /ˈpɑːftaʊn/ (Usually the p is silent in names starting with Pf)
• Piceance Creek & Basin, Colorado – /ˈpiː.ɔːnts/ or /ˈpiː.ænts/ (PEE-ants)
• Placer County & Placerville, California – /ˈplæːsər/ (PLASS-ur)
• Plano, Texas – /ˈpleɪnoʊ/ (PLAY-noh)
• Plymouth, Massachusetts and elsewhere – /ˈplɪməθ/ (PLIM-əth)
• Point Mugu, California – /ˌpɔɪnt məˈɡuː/
• Pojoaque Pueblo, New Mexico – /pəˈwɑːki/ (pə-WAH-kee) by Anglos only
• Port Hueneme, California – /pɔrt waɪˈniːmi/
• Pompeii, Michigan – /ˈpɒmpiː.aɪ/ (POM-pee-eye, unlike the Italian town pronounced /pɒmˈpeɪ/)
• Poughkeepsie, New York – /pəˈkɪpsi/ (pə-KIP-see)
• Poulsbo, Washington – /ˈpɑːlzboʊ/ (PAHLZ-boh)
• Puget Sound, Washington – /ˈpjuːdʒɨt/ (PEW-jit)
• Purgatoire River, Colorado – /ˈpɪkɨt.waɪr/ (PIK-ət-wire), also spelled Picketwire
• Puyallup, Washington – /pjuːˈæləp/ (pew-AL-əp)

Q

• Quincy, Massachusetts – /ˈkwɪnzi/
• Quitaque, Texas – /ˈkɪtɨkweɪ/
• Qulin, Missouri – /ˈkjuːlɨn/

R

• Raleigh, North Carolina – /ˈrɑːli/
• Refugio, Texas – /rəˈfjʊərioʊ/  listen  (rə-FEWR-ee-oh)
• Rhea County, Tennessee – /ˈreɪ/
• Riga, New York – /ˈraɪɡə/ (RY-gə)
• Rio Grande, Ohio – /ˌraɪ.oʊ ˈɡrænd/ (RY-oh GRAND) (Rio, Florida also uses the RY-oh pronunciation)
• Ruch, Oregon – /ˈruːʃ/
• Russia, Ohio – /ˈruːʃiː/ (ROO-shee)
• Rutherfordton, North Carolina – locally /ˈrʌlftən/ or variations of it

S

• Saline, Michigan and Saline County, Illinois – /səˈliːn/ (sə-LEEN)
• Samish Island, Washington – /ˈsæmɪʃ/
• Sammamish, Washington – /səˈmæmɪʃ/
• San Jose, Illinois – /sæn ˈdʒoʊz/  listen 
• San Rafael, California – /sæn rəˈfɛl/
• San Xavier, Arizona – /sæn ˈhɑːvi.eɪ/
• Schaghticoke, New York – /ˈskætɨkʊk/ (SKA-ti-kuuk) or /ˈskætɨkoʊk/
• Schuylkill in Pennsylvania – /ˈskuːkəl/ (SKOO-kəl)
• Sedro-Woolley, Washington – /ˈsiːdroʊ ˈwʊli/
• Sekiu, Washington – /ˈsiːkjuː/
• Semiahmoo, Washington – /sɛmiˈɑːmoʊ/; (sĕm′·ē·â′·mō)
• Sequim, Washington – /ˈskwɪm/
• Shawangunk (Mountains, town, river and prison in Hudson Valley region of New York) – local pronunciation is /ˈʃɑːn.ɡʌm/ (SHAHN-gum)
• Shoshone, Idaho – /ʃoʊˈʃoʊn/
• Siuslaw River, Oregon – /saɪˈjuːslɔː/ (sy-EW-slaw)
• Skagit (name of a Native American tribe and various locales in Washington) – /ˈskædʒɨt/
• Skamokawa, Washington – /skəˈmɒkəweɪ/ (skə-MOK-ə-way)
• Skaneateles (Lake, village and Town) - /ˌskɪniˈætləs/ (SKI-nee-AT-ləs)
• Sol Duc River, Washington – /ˈsoʊldʌk/ SOHL-duk (the spelling "soleduck" is also encountered)
• Spokane, Washington – /spoʊˈkæn/ (spoh-KAN)
• Staunton, Virginia – /ˈstænʔn/ or /ˈstæntən/ (STAN-'n or STAN-tun: in everyday speech a glottal stop replaces the /tə/ in the second syllable. In careful or formal speech, the /t/ is clearly pronounced, but the vowel is pronounced as a schwa.)
• Stehekin, Washington – /stəˈhiːkɨn/
• Steilacoom, Washington – /ˈstɪləkʌm/ (STIL-ə-kum)
• Suisun City, California – /sɨˈsuːn/ (sə-SOON)
• Swansea, Massachusetts – /ˈswɑːnzi/

T

• Taliaferro County, Georgia – /ˈtɒlɪvər/
• Tanana, Alaska and Tanana River – /ˈtænənɑː/
• Tekoa, Washington – /ˈtiːkoʊ/
• Telocaset, Oregon – /ˌtɛləˈkæsɨt/
• Terre Haute, Indiana – /ˌtɛrəˈhoʊt/ (also /ˌtɛrəˈhʌt/)
• Tewksbury, Massachusetts – traditionally /ˈtʊksbəri/
• The Dalles, Oregon – /ˈdælz/
• Thibodaux, Louisiana – /ˈtɪbədoʊ/ (TIB-ə-doh)
• Throop, Pennsylvania - /ˈtrup/; (trōōp)
• Tieton, Washington – /ˈtaɪ.ɨtən/
• Tigard, Oregon – /ˈtaɪɡərd/ (TY-gərd)
• Tillamook County, Oregon – /ˈtɪləmʌk/ (although locals pronounce it as /ˈtɪləmʊk/)
• Tok, Alaska – /ˈtoʊk/
• Tooele, Utah – /tuːˈɪlə/ (too-IL-ə)
• Topsail Beach, North Carolina – /ˈtɒpsəl/ (TOP-səl)
• Touchet River, Washington – /ˈtuːʃi/
• Toutle River, Washington – /ˈtuːtəl/
• Tripoli, Iowa – /trɨˈpoʊlə/
• Tualatin, Oregon, Tualatin River – /tuːˈɑːlətɨn/
• Tulare, California – /tuːˈlɛəri/or /tuːˈlɛər/
• Tucson, Arizona – /ˈtuːsɒn/
• Tygh Valley, Oregon – /ˈtaɪ/

V

• Vacaville, California - VA-cuh-ville (Spanish pronunciation would indicate Vah-cah-ville)
• Valatie, New York - /vəˈleɪʃə/ (va-LAY-sha)
• Valdez, Alaska – /vælˈdiːz/
• Vallejo, California – /vəˈleɪhoʊ/, locally /vəˈleɪ.oʊ/
• Veneta, Oregon – /vɨˈniːtə/
• Verdi, Nevada – /ˈvɜrdaɪ/
• Versailles, Illinois, Versailles, Kentucky, Versailles, Missouri, and Versailles, Ohio – /vɜrˈseɪlz/  listen 
• Vienna, Illinois, Vienna, South Dakota – /vaɪˈænə/  listen 

W

• Wahkiakum County, Washington – /wəˈkaɪ.əkəm/
• Wallowa, Oregon, Wallowa County, and the Wallowa Mountains – /wəˈlaʊ.ə/
• Wallula, Washington – /wəˈluːlə/
• Waltham, Massachusetts – Second syllable pronounced in full /ˈwɔːlθæm/
• Waukesha, Wisconsin - /ˈwɔːkɨʃɔː/
• Wayzata, Minnesota - /waɪ'zɛtə/
• Weippe, Idaho – /ˈwiː.aɪp/
• Weiser, Idaho – /ˈwiːzər/
• Whitemarsh Island – /ˈhwɪtmɑrʃ/
• Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania – /ˈwɪlksbɛrə/, /ˈwɪlksbɛri/, or /ˈwɪlksbɛr/
• Willamette River, Oregon – /wɪˈlæmɨt/ (wil-LAM-it)
• Willapa River and Willapa Hills, Washington – /ˈwɪləpɑː/ (WILL-ə-pah)
• Woburn, Massachusetts – /ˈwuːbərn/, Woburn, Bedfordshire and Woburn, Toronto are simply /ˈwoʊbərn/
• Worcester, Massachusetts – /ˈwʊstər/

Y

• Yakima, Yakima County, and Yakima River, Washington – /ˈjækəmɑː/ (YAK-ə-mah), though the pronunciation /ˈjækəmə/ is also heard. The Native American people for whom the river, city, and county are named now prefer the spelling Yakama.
• Yachats, Oregon – /ˈjɑːhɑːts/ (YAH-hahts)
• Yaquina Bay and related place names in Oregon – /jəˈkwɪnə/
• Yocona River, Mississippi – /ˈjɒkni/ (YOK-nee)
• Youghiogheny River, U.S. – /ˌjɔːkəˈɡeɪni/ (YAW-kə-GAYN-ee)
• Yountville, California - /ˈjɔːntvɪl/ or /ˈjaʊntvɪl/
• Yreka, California – /waɪˈriːkə/ (wy-REEK-ə)

Z

• Zzyzx, California – /ˈzaɪzɨks/ (ZY-ziks)

Place names in Canada

• Agassiz, British Columbia – /ˈæɡəsi/
• Baie d'Espoir, Newfoundland – /ˌbeɪ dɨsˈpɛər/, French for "Bay of Hope", ironically pronounced "Bay Despair"
• Delhi, Ontario – /ˈdɛlhaɪ/
• Etobicoke, Ontario – /ɨˈtoʊbɨkoʊ/
• Gaultois, Newfoundland and Labrador – /ˈɡɔːltəs/
• Job's Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador – /ˈdʒoʊbz/ (after biblical Job)
• Kelowna, British Columbia – /kəˈloʊnə/
• Keremeos, British Columbia – /ˌkɛrɨˈmiːəs/
• L'Ardoise, Nova Scotia – /ˈlɔrdweɪz/
• Osoyoos, British Columbia – /ɒˈsuːjuːs/ (o-SOO-ews) or /ɒˈsuːjəs/ and (originally) /ˈsuːjuːs/
• Pouce Coupe, British Columbia – /ˌpuːs ˈkuːpi/
• Quebec – /kəˈbɛk/ (alongside anglicized /kwɨˈbɛk/)
• Quesnel, British Columbia – /kwɨˈnɛl/
• Quidi Vidi, Newfoundland – /ˈkɪdi ˈvɪdi/
• Quirpon, Newfoundland and Labrador – /ˈkɑrpuːn/
• Saanich Peninsula and related place names in British Columbia – /ˈsænɨtʃ/
• Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario – /ˈsuː ˈseɪnt məˈriː/
• Sechelt, British Columbia – /ˈsiːʃɛlt/
• Skidegate, British Columbia – /ˈskɪdəɡət/
• Stouffville, Ontario – /ˈstoʊvɪl/ (STOH-vill)
• Summerland, British Columbia – /ˈsʌmərlænd/ (not /ˈsʌmərlənd/)
• Thames River in Ontario – /ˈtɛmz/ (the Thames River in Connecticut is pronounced /ˈθeɪmz/)
• The Pas, Manitoba – /ðəˈpɑː/
• Tsawwassen, British Columbia – /təˈwɑːsən/

In Verdun, Quebec, the town's name is pronounced Vurr-dun, while Verdun Avenue is pronounced Vurrdin.

Place names in Australia

• Albany, Western Australia - /ˈælbəˌni/
• Barcaldine, Queensland - /bɑrˈkɔːldɨn/ or /bɑːˈkɔːldɨn/, not /ˈbɑrkəldaɪn/
• Brisbane, Queensland – /ˈbrɪzbən/ (compare Brisbane, California, which is /ˈbrɪzbeɪn/)
• Canberra, Australian Capital Territory - /ˈkænb(ə)rə/; /kænˈbɛrə/ is rare and deprecated
• Capalaba, Queensland - /kəˈpæləbɑː/
• City of Cockburn – /ˈkoʊbɜrn/, not /ˈkɒkbɜrn/; also Cockburn, South Australia
• Dunedoo, New South Wales - /ˌdʌniˈduː/
• Forster, New South Wales - /ˈfɒstə/, not /ˈfɔːstə/
• Geelong, Victoria - /d͡ʒɨˈlɒŋ/, not /ˈd͡ʒiːlɒŋ/
• Gladstone, Queensland - /ˈglædstən/, not /glædstoʊn/
• Gumeracha, South Australia - /ˌɡʌməˈrækə/
• Goondiwindi, Queensland - /ˌɡʌndəˈwɪndi/, not /ˌɡʊndəˈwɪndi/
• Mackay, Queensland - /mɨˈkaɪ/
• Mandurah, Western Australia - /ˈmændʒərə/
• Melbourne, Victoria – /ˈmɛlbən/, not /ˈmɛlbɔːn/ or /ˈmɛlbɔrn/
• Michelago, New South Wales - /ˌmɪkəl'eɪgoʊ/
• Mukinbudin, Western Australia - /ˈmʌkənˌbudən/
• Monaro, New South Wales - /məˈnɛəroʊ/, not /məˈnɑroʊ/; use with definite article and preposition "on", e.g. you live "on the Monaro"
• Mount Kosciuszko - /kɒziˈɒskoʊ/ is the most common Australian English pronunciation; the Polish-derived pronunciation /kɒˈʃʊʃkoʊ/ is sometimes used
• Ravenshoe, Queensland, Australia - /reɪvənzhoʊ/, not /reɪvən(z)ʃuː/
• South Kolan, Queensland - /ˈkoʊlæn/, not /ˈkoʊlən/
• Strahan, Tasmania - /ˈstrɔːn/, not /ˈstrɑːhən/
• Tallangatta, Victoria - /təˈlæŋɡətə/, not /ˌtælənˈɡætə/
• Tiaro, Queensland - /ˈtaɪroʊ/
• Wagga Wagga, New South Wales - /ˈwɒgə wɒgə/, not /ˈwægə wægə/
• Wangi Wangi, New South Wales - /ˈwɒndʒi wɒndʒi/
• Woonona, New South Wales - /wəˈnuːnə/, not /wʊˈnoʊnə/

Place names in other English-speaking countries

• Pago Pago, American Samoa – /ˈpɑːŋɡoʊ ˈpɑːŋɡoʊ/
• Thames town and Firth of Thames in New Zealand – /ˈtɛmz/
• Dunedin, New Zealand pronounced /dəˈniːdɨn/, with three syllables.

Given names

• Antawn Jamison – /ˈæntwɑːn/ (American English pronunciation of "Antoine". For more information, see the section on his name.)
• Anthony - /ænt'ə:niː (occasionally /æn'θə:niː)
• Celeb – /ˈkeɪlɨb/
• Chloe standard, non-French variant sounds alike to Chloë with the diaeresis over the e /kloʊ:iː/
• Chynna Phillips – /ˈtʃaɪnə/
• Freda - /ˈfriːdə/ (historically Frida and Wilfrida)
• Isaac - /'aɪzək/
• Isla /'aɪlə/
• Kiki Cuyler – /ˈkaɪkaɪ/ (KY-ky); compare with the more common /ˈkiːki/ (KEE-kee), as in Kiki Dee and Kiki Vandeweghe
• Magdalen(e) (as in Magdalen College, Oxford and Magdalene College, Cambridge) – /ˈmɔːdlɨn/
• Malachi - /'mæləkaɪ/
• MaliVai Washington – /'mæləˌviːə/ (mal-ə-VEE-ə)
• Matraca Berg – /məˈtreɪsə/ (mə-TRAY-sə)
• Michael – /'maɪkəl
• Michellie Jones – /mɨˈkiːli/ (mə-KEE-lee)
• Monta Ellis – /ˈmɒnteɪ/ (MON-tay)
• Naomi or Näomi - UK and most commonly /'naɪ.oʊmi/
• Phoebe - /ˈfiːbiː/
• Picabo Street – /ˈpiːkəbuː/
• Ralph – traditionally /ˈreɪf/, as with Ralph Fiennes, Ralph Vaughan Williams; now usually the intuitive /ˈrælf/
• Rise – occasionally /ˈriːsə/ (REE-sə, after Risë Stevens: the diaeresis over the e of Risë indicates that it is not a silent e)
• Sonny – /ˈsʌni/
• Stephen Curry – /ˈstɛfən/, instead of the more common /ˈstiːvən/
• Theresa - 'təriːzə
• Thomas - 'tɒməs
• Wynonna Judd – /waɪˈnoʊnə/ (wy-NOH-nə)
• Zachery - /'zækəri/
• Zoe sounds alike to Zoë with the diaeresis over the e /zoʊ:iː/

Emboldened names are traditional so while not intuitive, are among the most well-used.

Most commonly used of Irish and Welsh origin

• Dylan - /ˈdɪlən/
• Rees/Rhys - /ˈriːs/
• Seamus – /ˈʃeɪməs/ (spelling Séamus is regular in Irish)
• Sean – /ˈʃɔːn/ (spelling Seán is regular in Irish)
• Sian/Sîan - /ˈʃɑːn/
• Shan Foster – /ˈʃeɪn/
• Siobhan – /ʃɨˈvɔːn/ (shə-VAWN; spelling Siobhán is regular in Irish)

Surnames

A-B

• Duke of Abercorn – /ˈævərkɔrn/ (AV-ər-korn)
• David Acer – /ˈækər/ (AK-ər)
• Peter Agre – /ˈɑːɡreɪ/ (AH-gray)
• Ameche (Don & Alan) – /əˈmiːtʃiː/ (ə-MEE-chee) (Anglicized spelling of the Italian name "Amici")
• Aucoin – from /oʊˈkwæn/ (e.g. Kevyn Aucoin), /oʊˈkwiːn/, /oʊˈkɔɪn/ (e.g. Bill Aucoin), to /ˈɔːkɔɪn/
• Ayscough (e.g. Hannah Ayscough) – /əˈskjuː/
• Walter Bagehot – /ˈbædʒɨt/
• Jim Bakker – /ˈbeɪkər/
• Earl Beauchamp – /ˈbiːtʃəm/
• Beauclerk – /boʊˈklɛər/
• Berkeley (UK surname) – /ˈbɑrkli/ (see UK places). Surname in the US /ˈbɜrkli/ (also US place).
• Bohun – /ˈbuːn/
• Blount (e.g. Mel Blount, Roy Blount, Jr.) – /ˈblʌnt/
• Roger Boisjoly – /boʊʒəˈleɪ/
• Boulware (Virginia) – /ˈboʊlər/
• John Boozman – /ˈboʊzmən/
• KC Boutiette – /ˈbuːti.eɪ/ (BOO-tee-ay)
• Eli Broad – /broʊd//
• Duke of Buccleuch – /bəˈkluː/ (bə-KLEW)
• Steve Buyer – /ˈbuːjər/ (BOO-yər)

C

• John Caius (as in Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge) – /ˈkiːz/
• Isaiah Canaan – /ˈkænən/ (as in the American English pronunciation of "cannon") — compare with the common AmE pronunciation of /ˈkeɪnən/ for the land of Canaan, or /kəˈneɪn/, the local pronunciation of West Virginia's Canaan Valley
• Thomas Carew, poet – /ˈkɛriː/; compare with the more intuitive /kəˈruː/ (kə-ROO), as in John Carew (footballer) and Rod Carew
• Jason Chaffetz – /ˈtʃeɪfits/
• Craig Chaquico – /tʃəˈkiːsoʊ/ (chə-KEE-soh)
• Mamah Cheney – /ˈmeɪmə ˈtʃeɪni/ (MAY-mə CHAY-nee)
• Cheves (e.g. Langdon Cheves) – /ˈtʃɪvɨs/ (CHIV-əs)
• Cholmondeley – /ˈtʃʌmli/ (CHUM-lee)
• Cecelia Cichan – /ˈʃiːhən/ (SHEE-hən)
• Cockburn – /ˈkoʊbərn/
• Coke – /ˈkʊk/ - like Wodehouse
• Colcolough (Virginia, e.g. Tom Colcolough) – /ˈkoʊkli/ or /ˈkɒkli/
• Colquhoun – /kəˈhuːn/ (kə-HOON) (per place)
• Aaron Copland – /ˈkoʊplənd/
• Dan Cortese – /kɔrˈtɛz/
• Cowper – /ˈkuːpər/ or /ˈkaʊpər/
• Crichton – /ˈkraɪtən/
• Cruwys (e.g. Margaret Cruwys – /ˈkruːz/
• Cuyjet – /suːˈʒeɪ/ (soo-ZHAY)

D-E

• Vernon Dahmer —/ˈdeɪmər/
• Dalyell and Dalziel (as in the UK television series Dalziel and Pascoe) – /diˈɛl/ (dee-EL)
• Davies – both /ˈdeɪvɪs/ and /ˈdeɪviːz/
• Death - two syllables, de Ath, not like English word death
• DeLaughter, e.g. Tim DeLaughter —/dɨˈlɔːtər/
• Devereux and Devereaux —/dɛvə'ruːks/ (DE-vər-OOKS) or /dɛvə'roa/ (DE-və-ROW).
• Diuguid —/ˈduːɡɨd/ (DOO-gid)
• John Donne, poet – /dʌn/
• Andre Dubus —/dəˈbjuːs/ (də-BEWSS)
• Justin Duchscherer —/ˈduːkʃər/ (DOOK-shər)
• Keir Dullea —/dəˈleɪ/ (də-LAY)
• Dyches – /ˈdaɪks/
• Eames (e.g. Emma Eames) – properly (?) /ˈeɪmz/, though often /iːmz/
• Ehle (Jennifer; John) – /ˈiːli/ (EE-lee)
• Cary Elwes – /ˈɛlweɪz/ (EL-wayz)
• Enroughty (S. Carolina) – /ˈdɑrbi/ (DAR-bi)

F-H

• Faneuil – /ˈfænəl/ or /ˈfænjəl/
• Ron Faucheux – /foʊˈʃeɪ/ (foh-SHAY)
• Brett Favre – /ˈfɑrv/
• Fetherstonhaugh or Featherstonhaugh – /ˈfænʃɔː/ (FAN-shaw); also /ˈfɛstənhɔː/, /ˈfiːsənheɪ/, /ˈfɪərstənhɔː/, or as /ˈfɛðərstənhɔː/
• Ronald Fedkiw – /ˈfɛdkoʊ/
• William Foege – /ˈfeɪɡi/ (FAY-gee)
• Fotheringay – /ˈfʌŋɡi/ (FUNG-gee)
• Jim Fuchs – /ˈfjuːʃ/ (FEWSH)
• Robert Fulghum – /ˈfʊldʒəm/ (FULL-jəm)
• Clifford Geertz – /ˈɡɜrts/
• Geogehan, Geoghegan – /ˈɡeɪɡən/ (GAY-gən)
• Donald Glut – /ˈɡluːt/
• Lee Godie – /ˈɡoʊdeɪ/ (GOH-day)
• Goodenough – usually /ˈɡuːdənoʊ/
• Elizabeth Goudge – /ˈɡuːʒ/ (GOOZH)
• Greenhalgh – /ˈɡriːnhælʒ/, /ˈɡriːnhælʃ/ or /ˈɡriːnhæltʃ/ (GREEN-halzh, GREEN-halsh, GREEN-halch)
• Matt Groening – /ˈɡreɪniŋ/
• Grosvenor – /ˈɡroʊvənʊər/ or /ˈɡroʊvnər/
• Guild, e.g. Nancy Guild – /ˈɡaɪld/
• Earl of Harewood – /ˈhɑrwʊd/
• Earl of Home – /ˈhjuːm/ (rhymes with fume)
• Benjamin Huger – /ˈuːdʒi/ (OO-jee) or /ˈuːdʒeɪ/
• William Hulme – /ˈhjuːm/ (same as the Earl of Home and the Bishops)

I-L

• David Icke – /ˈaɪk/
• Andrew P. Iosue – /ˈɒzweɪ/ (OZ-way)
• Isley Brothers – /ˈaɪzliː/ (EYEZ-lee)
• Darrell Issa – /ˈaɪzə/ (EYE-zə)
• Jacques – sometimes (e.g. Brian Jacques, Hattie Jacques) /ˈdʒeɪks/
• Hamilton Jordan, Ralph "Shug" Jordan – /ˈdʒɜrdən/
• Rob Kearney – (pronounced 'Carney')
• John Keble (of Keble College) – /ˈkiːbəl/
• Kehoe, Keogh (Irish surname) – /ˈkjoʊ/
• Kerr
  • In the case of Deborah Kerr, /ˈkɑr/ "car"
  • Original Scottish: [keɾ] (e.g., Graham Kerr, the "Galloping Gourmet")
  • American English: Often /ˈkɜr/, as in Steve Kerr
• Keynes, e.g. John Maynard Keynes – /ˈkeɪnz/
• Karch Kiraly – /kɪˈraɪ/ (ki-RY) (approximating the pronunciation in Hungarian, his father's native language)
• Stephen Kleene – /ˈkleɪniː/ KLAY-nee; /ˈkliːniː/ and /ˈkliːn/ are common mispronunciations.
• Shia LaBeouf – /ˈʃaɪə ləˈbʌf/ (lə-BUFF)
• Landrieu – /ˈlændruː/ (LAN-droo)
• Lalor – /ˈlɔːlər/ (LAW-lər)
• Lange – usually /ˈlæŋ/
  • David Lange – /ˈlɒŋi/ (LONG-ee)
• Lascelles (e.g. Alan Lascelles) – /ˈlæsəls/ (rhymes with "tassels")
• Lauren (Ralph) – /ˈlɒrən/ (LORR-ən)
• Legaré (e.g. Hugh S. Legaré ) – /ləˈɡriː/ (lə-GREE)
• John Lescroart – /lɛsˈkwɑː/ (les-SKWAH)
• Leveson-Gower (e.g. H. D. G. Leveson-Gower, Granville George Leveson-Gower) – /ˈluːsən ˈɡɔər/
• Lewes, e.g. George Henry Lewes – /ˈluːɪs/

M

• Machin (e.g. Arnold Machin) – /ˈmeɪtʃɨn/ (MAY-chin)
• MacKay – in Scotland /məˈkaɪ/ (rhymes with "sky"), elsewhere more often the anglicised /məˈkeɪ/
• Mackay (e.g. Clarence Mackay) – /ˈmæki/
• MacLeod, McLeod – /məˈklaʊd/
• MacMahon, McMahon – sometimes /məkˈmæn/ (mək-MAN), as in the McMahon wrestling family
• Mainwaring – /ˈmænərɪŋ/
• Dan Majerle – /'mɑːrli/ (MAR-lee)
• Johnny Manziel – /mæn'zɛl/ (man-ZELL)
• Robert Mapplethorpe – /ˈmeɪpəlθɔrp/
• Marjoribanks – /ˈmɑrtʃbæŋks/ or /ˈmɑrʃbæŋks/ (MARCH-banks or MARSH-banks)
• Marlborough – family name /ˈmɔrlbərə/, trademark Marlboro /ˈmɑː(r)lbərə/
• Maugham (e.g. Somerset Maugham) – /ˈmɔːm/
• Marin Mazzie – /ˈmeɪzi/ (MAY-zee)
• McCaughey (e.g. the McCaughey septuplets) – /məˈkɔɪ/
• Geraldine McCaughrean – /məˈkɔːkrən/
• McGrath – In Ireland usually /məˈɡrɑː/, though elsewhere often /məˈɡræθ/
• McLean, MacLean – /məˈkleɪn/, occasionally its anglicised equivalent /məˈkliːn/ (rhymes with "clean")
• Meagher – /ˈmɑr/, /ˈmɑːhər/
• David Mech – /ˈmiːtʃ/
• Melancon (e.g. Charlie Melancon) – /məˈlɔːsɔ̃/ (almost is regular French pronunciation /məlɑ̃ˈsɔ̃/ of "Melançon" with a c-cedilla)
• Menzies – /ˈmɪŋɨs/ (MING-iss)
• Molyneux — /'mɔlɪnoa/ or /ˈmɒlinju/
• Moog – /ˈmoʊɡ/
• Moore - both like "moor" and like "more" (e.g. for Michael Moore)
• Moragne (U.S.) – /mɒˈreɪni/

N-Q

• Naifeh – /ˈneɪfi/ (NAY-fee)
• Randy Neugebauer – /ˈnɔːɡəbaʊər/
• Bill Nighy – /ˈnaɪ/
• Laura Nyro – /ˈnɪəroʊ/
• Laurence Olivier – /ɒˈlɪvi.eɪ/
• Ouzts – /ˈuːts/
• Samuel Pepys – /ˈpiːps/
• Lou Piniella – /pəˈnɛlə/ (pə-NEL-ə)
• Pole-Carew (e.g. William Pole-Carew) – /puːl ˈkɛəri/
• Cliff Politte – /pɒˈliːt/ (pol-LEET)
• Popo Agie Wilderness, Wyoming /poʊpoʊˈʒɑː/
• Pou (e.g. Edward W. Pou) – /ˈpjuː/
• Prioleau (e.g. Pierson Prioleau) – /ˈpreɪloʊ/
• Proulx (as in Marcel Proulx and E. Annie Proulx) – /ˈpruː/

R

• Raleigh (surname) – /ˈrɔːli/
• Rehm (e.g. Diane Rehm) – /ˈriːm/
• Pete Reiser – /ˈriːsər/
• Mary Renault – /ˈrɛnəlt/ (REN-əlt)
• Rees - as Rhys below
• Reynolds – /ˈrɛnəldz/
• Rhea (e.g. Caroline Rhea) – /ˈreɪ/
• Rhys – /ˈriːs/
• Lisa Rieffel – /rəˈfɛl/ (rə-FEL)
• Riordan (e.g. Richard Riordan, Mike Riordan) – often /ˈrɪərdən/ (REER-dən)
• Roosevelt – /ˈroʊzəvɛlt/ (ROH-zə-velt)
• Klaus Roth – /ˈroʊθ/
• Marge Roukema – /ˈrɒkəmə/ (ROCK-ə-mə)
• Kirk Rueter – /ˈriːtər/ (REE-tər)
• Ed Ruscha – /ruːˈʃeɪ/ (roo-SHAY)

S

• St John (first name and surname) – /ˈsɪndʒən/ (as in Oliver St. John Gogarty); or /sɪnˈdʒɒn/ or /saɪntˈdʒɒn/ (as in Ian St. John). The former pronunciation can also be seen in Sinjin Smith, whose birth name is Christopher St. John Smith.
• Sandys (e.g. Duncan Sandys) – /sændz/ (as in sands)
• Rachael Scdoris – /səˈdɔrɪs/ (the same as the Sedoris from which it developed)
• Schaffer, Shaffer – often /ˈʃeɪfər/ rather than /ˈʃæfər/
• Terri Schiavo – /ˈʃaɪvoʊ/ (SHY-voh) vs. regular Mary Schiavo /skiˈɑːvoʊ/.
• Schlumberger – /ʃlʌmbərˈʒeɪ/ (shlum-bər-ZHAY)
• Patti Scialfa – /ˈskælfə/ (SKAL-fə)
• Steven Seagal – /sɨˈɡɑːl/ (after Chagall; his father's name is simply pronounced /ˈsiːɡəl/)
• Junior Seau – /ˈseɪ.aʊ/ (SAY-ow) (approximating the pronunciation in his ancestral Samoan)
• Seay – sometimes (Seay, Mark Seay) /ˈseɪ/, usually /ˈsiː/
• Karen Sillas – /ˈsaɪləs/ (SY-ləs)
• Smellie (Scottish, e.g. William Smellie) – /ˈsmaɪli/
• Somerset – /ˈsʌmərsɨt/
• Strachan – /ˈstrɔːn/ (e.g. Gordon Strachan); /ˈstræxən/, now often /ˈstrækən/
• Baron Strange – /ˈstræŋ/, as in Lord Strange's Men
• Dana Suesse – /ˈswiːs/
• Synge – /ˈsɪŋ/

T-V

• Tal(l)iaferro – /ˈtɒlɨvər/
• Roger Taney – /ˈtɔːni/
• Lauren Tewes – /ˈtwiːz/
• Thome (e.g. Jim Thome) – /toʊˈmeɪ/
• Threatt (e.g. Sedale Threatt) – /ˈθriːt/
• Todd Tiahrt – /ˈtiːhɑrt/
• Tilghman – /ˈtɪlmən/
• Tjoelker – /ˈtʃoʊkər/
• Jonathan Toews – /ˈteɪvz/
• Trevelyan – /trəˈvɪljən/
• Tyrwhitt (e.g. Reginald Tyrwhitt) – /ˈtɪrɨt/ (rhymes with "spirit")
• Urquhart – /ˈɜrkərt/
• Vanderhorst (S. Carolina) (e.g. Arnoldus Vanderhorst – /vænˈdrɑːs/
• Bill Veeck – /ˈvɛk/

W-Z

• Waldegrave – /ˈwɔːlɡreɪv/
• Wein, Weiner – often /ˈwiːn/ and /ˈwiːnər/
• Winzet – /ˈwɪnjət/
• Wodehouse – /ˈwʊdhaʊs/
• Worcester – /ˈwʊstər/
• Larry Woiwode – /ˈwaɪwʊdi/
• Herman Wouk – /ˈwoʊk/
• Patricia Wrede – /ˈriːdi/
• Wriothesley (e.g. the Earls of Southampton) – variably given as /ˈrɪzli/, /ˈraɪzli/, /ˈroʊzli/, /ˈrɔːtsli/ or /ˈrɒksli/
• William Butler Yeats – /ˈjeɪts/
• Yeend, e.g. Frances Yeend – /ˈjɛnd/
• Clayton Yeutter – /ˈjaɪtər/ (rhymes with fighter)

See also

• Grapheme
• English spelling
• Pronunciation of Chinese names in English - counterintuitive Q, X, C, Zh, etc. in words romanised in Pinyin.

References

• G. M. Miller (editor) (1971). BBC pronouncing dictionary of British names. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-431125-2. 
• Ordnance Survey of Ireland (1989). Gazetteer of Ireland. Government Publications Office. ISBN 0-7076-0076-6. 

External links

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