Odd pronunciations of proper names - examples
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The Type column contains abbreviations: PN means that the word in the first column is a Place-name; SN means that it is a surname; and FN that it is a forename or first name. T indicates that the word is a PN used, sometimes, as a title, as in Prince of Wales. Sc shows that the name is Scottish; W that it is Welsh; and Ir that it is Irish. These Celtic languages have their own spelling systems. No effort is made to show how they are pronounced.
| Written form | Type | Pronunciation(s) - re-spelt | Pronunciation(s) - IPA | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auchinleck | Sc PN | och-in-leck | IPA: /ˈɒχ ɪn lɛk/ | A village - from which comes a personal title pron. as next. |
| Affleck | Sc T | affLECK | IPA: /af ˈlɛk/ | See previous |
| Beaufort | SN | b-OH-fort | IPA: /ˈbəʊ fət/ | |
| Beauchamp | SN | bee-cham | IPA: /biːtʃ əm/ | Some Bs - e.g. conductor Sir Thomas - write 'Beecham' |
| Beaulieu | PN | BEW-ley | IPA: /ˈbjuː lɪ/ | in Hampshire
(The same initial syllable as 'beautiful'.) |
| Belvoir | PN | beaver | IPA: /ˈbiː vər/ | . |
| Bicester | PN | 'bister' | IPA: /ˈbɪstər/) | Bister [b-eye-sister] IPA: /ˈbaɪ si stər/ has also been heard. |
| Blenheim | PN | BLEN-em [blen-EEM] | IPA: /ˈblɛn əm/ [IPA: /blə ˈniːm/] | The 2nd pronunciation is for a street in Hull. |
| Cirencester | PN | s-EYE-ren-ses-ter [sister] | IPA: /ˈsaɪ rən ˌsɛ stər/ [IPA: /ˈsɪstər/] | The traditional 'sister' is little heard these days. |
| Cheyne | PN | CHAIN-y [chain, cheen] | IPA: /ˈtʃeɪ nɪ/ (or
/tʃeɪn/ or /tʃiːn/) || Cheyne Walk in London, home of famous writers Thomas Carlyle, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and George Eliot. | |
| Colquhoun | Sc SN | ca-HOON | IPA: /kə ˈhuːn/ | An English pronunciation is 'col-kwe-HOON'. Scots call this an error. In defence, some spell it Cahoun. |
| Culzean | Sc PN | cull-AIN | IPA: /kəl ˈeɪn/ | Castle in Ayrshire. |
| Dalziel | Sc SN | dee-ELL [dalZEAL] | IPA: /diː ˈɛl/, IPA: /dælˈziːl/ | 2 branches of the family; 2 pronunciations. (The '-z-' is a form of yogh.) |
| Daventry | PN | DA-ven-tree [DAIN-tree] | IPA: /ˈdæv əntr ɪ/ [IPA: /ˈdeɪntr ɪ/] | 2nd pron. [in brackets] is traditional but obsolescent. |
| Donne | SN | dun (as in done) | IPA: /dʌn/ | Famous English poet John (1572–1631) |
| Featherstonhaugh | SN | FANshaw | IPA: /ˈfæɔn ʃɔː/ | LPD records 4 other pronunciations |
| Gloucester | PN, T | gloster | IPA: /ˈglɒ stər/ | . |
| Grosvenor | SN; PN | GROW-v'ner | IPA: /ˈgrəʊv nər or ˈgrəʊv ə nər / | Family name of Dukes of Westminster, who built the G. estates in London, Cheshire and Scotland |
| Hawick | Sc PN | hoik | IPA: /hɔɪk/, IPA: /hɔːɪk/ | . |
| Haworth | PN | HAW-e(r)th | IPA: /ˈha or ɑʊ ərθ/ (IPA: /ˈheɪ əθ/) | Home of the Brontës. 2nd is a public house (pub) in Hull. |
| Kirkcudbright | Sc PN | kirk-COO-bry | IPA: /kər ˈkuː brɪ/ | Town in SW Scotland. |
| Kirkcaldy | Sc PN | Kirk-CAWD-ie | IPA: /kər ˈkɒd ɪ/ | Town in Fife (E Scotland) |
| Leicester | PN, T | lester | IPA: /ˈlɛ stər/ | . |
| Leominster | PN | LEM-[']-ster | IPA: /ˈlɛm ə stər/ | The UK pronunciation; the place in Massachusetts is LEM-in-ster, /ˈlɛm ɪn stə/. |
| M(a)cLean | Sc SN | macLANE | IPA: /mə ˈkleɪn/ | Some, (e.g. toothpaste company) pronounce it 'clean' (IPA: /-ˈkliːn/). |
| M(a)cKay | Sc SN | mac-EYE | IPA: /mə ˈkaɪ/ | Many rhyme it with 'say' |
| M(a)cKenzie | Sc SN | mac-KENZ-y | IPA: /mə ˈkɛnz ɪ/ | The traditional (and obsolete) pronunciation was 'mac-KING-y IPA: /mə ˈkɪŋ ɪ/. See yogh. |
| M(a)cLeod | Sc SN | mac-CLOUD | IPA: /mə ˈlaʊd/ | Many changed the spelling to match:, 'MacCloud' |
| MacDonnell (1) | Sc SN | mac-der-NELL | IPA: /ˌmæk dən ˈɛl/ | Note: though Irish and Scots are both Gaels, they pronounce the same name differently |
| M(a)cDonnell (2) | Ir SN | mac-DON-el | mək ˈdɒn əl | See previous |
| M(a)cPherson | Sc SN | mac-FER-son | IPA: /mək ˈfərs ən/ | Not, please, ' |
| M(a)cLachlan | Sc SN | mac-LOCH-len | IPA: /mək ˈlɒχ lən/ | M(a)cLoughlin is an Irish equivalent. |
| Marjoribanks | SN | MARSHbanks | IPA: /ˈmɑːtʃ bæŋks/ (LPD, less commonly /ˈmɑːʃ bæŋks/ | . |
| Marlborough | PN, T | MAWL-b'ruh [MAL-b'ruh] | IPA: /mɔːl bər ə/ or {{IPA|ˈmɑl bər ə | The second is local, in e.g. street name in Hull. |
| Menzies | Sc SN | MING-is | IPA: /ˈmɪŋ ɪz/ | Usually pronounced 'MEN-ziz' (IPA: /ˈmɛn zɪz/ in England. |
| Milngavie | Sc PN | mill-GUY (locally mull-GUY) | IPA: /mɪl ˈgaɪ/ or IPA: /mʌl ˈgaɪ/ | A well-known trap for visitors to W Scotland. |
| Onions | SN | uhn-EYE-ens (UHN-yens) | IPA: /əʊn ˈaɪ ənz/ (IPA: /ˈʌn jənz/) | Some in the family don't sound like the vegetable. Some do, including lexicographer C.T. |
| Pepys | SN | peeps (or pips or pepiss) | IPA: /piːps/ (IPA: /pɪps/ or IPA: /ˈpɛp is/) | Samuel (1633-1703), diarist, was PEEPS, others use various. |
| Pontefract | PN | PONtyfra(c)t [pom-fret] | IPA: /ˈpɒnt ɪ ˌfrækt/ [IPA: /ˈpɒm frət/] | Traditional pron. [in brackets] now obsolete |
| Ralph | FN | rafe | IPA: /reɪf/ IPA: /rælf/ | Traditionally pron. with no 'l', and the vowel of 'say'. Often now has an '-l-' and the vowel of 'cat'. |
| Ruthven | Sc SN, PN | RIVen | IPA: /ˈrɪ vən/ | Place in Aberdeenshire, + family. |
| " " (2) | Sc PN | RUTH-ven | IPA: /ˈrʌθ vən/ | Place in Grampian; Loch. |
| Shrewsbury | PN, T | shROHz-b'ri [shrOOzberri] | IPA: /ʃrˈəʊz bərɪ/ [IPA: /ʃrˈuːz bərɪ/] | The 1st is more RP; 2nd is how many locals say it |
| Southwell | PN | SUTH-ell SOUTH-well | ˈsaʊθ wɛl} IPA: /ˈsʌð əl// | The 1st is more RP; 2nd is how many locals say it |
| Salisbury | PN, T | SAULs-b'ry | IPA: /ˈsɔːlz bərɪ/ | . |
| St Clair | SN | SIN-clare | IPA: /ˈsɪŋ kleɪər/ | The Scots spelling is Sinclair |
| St John | SN | SIN-jen | IPA: /ˈsɪn dʒən/ - surname | Place and Saint are both normal - IPA: /seɪnt ˈdʒɒn/ |
| Strachan | Sc SN | straw-n [stra-can] | IPA: /strɔːn/, IPA: /ˈstræ kən/ | Traditional Scots say it as monosyllable; some in England have two. |
| Urquhart | Sc SN | ERK urt | IPA: /ˈɜrk ɜrt/ | |
| Wodehouse | SN | wood-house | IPA: /ˈwuːd haʊs/} | Famous writer P.G. (1881–1975) |
| Worcester | PN, T | wooster | IPA: /wʊ stər/ | . |
| Yeats | Ir SN | yates | IPA: /jeɪts/ | Famous Irish poet W.B. (1865–1939) & brother Jack (1871–1957) |
