Olivia Wilde recently revealed that people often get her real surname, Cockburn, wrong because the Scottish pronunciation is very different from how it’s spelt. But she’s far from the only Hollywood star whose name regularly leaves people second-guessing the correct pronunciation.
Cristina Miguelez, language expert at the human-led language learning app Preply, explains why some of Hollywood’s most recognisable names are so often mispronounced, and how to say them correctly.
1. How to pronounce Saoirse Ronan
Correct pronunciation: “SUR-sha ROH-nin”
Irish actress Saoirse Ronan is one of Ireland’s most acclaimed stars, yet, her name continues to catch people out.
It’s correctly pronounced “SUR-sha ROH-nin”, but many people say “Say-or-see” because they instinctively apply English pronunciation rules to Irish Gaelic spelling. Irish uses very different letter combinations from English, making Saoirse one of the most commonly mispronounced names in Hollywood.
2. How to pronounce Amanda Seyfried
Correct pronunciation: “ah-MAN-duh SIE-fred”
Amanda Seyfried’s surname often catches people out, despite her first name being familiar. Known for films such as Mean Girls and Mamma Mia!, many people assume her surname is pronounced “Say-fried” or “See-freed” because that’s what the spelling suggests. In reality, it’s pronounced “Sie-fred”.
The surname is of German origin, and its pronunciation has evolved over generations, making it different from what many English speakers expect.
3. How to pronounce Jake Gyllenhaal
Correct pronunciation: “YEEL-en-hall”
Known for films including Donnie Darko and Nightcrawler, Jake Gyllenhaal has one of Hollywood’s most frequently mispronounced surnames.
Many people instinctively say “Gill-en-hall” because of how it looks. However, the surname is Swedish, and the unusual spelling, particularly the “Gy” combination, often catches English speakers out.
The correct pronunciation is “YEEL-en-hall”.
4. How to pronounce Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
Correct pronunciation: “Nee-ko-LY COS-ter Wall-DOW”
Actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau became a global star after playing Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones.
His name often trips people up because the stress falls on different syllables than many English speakers expect. In particular, “Waldau” is often pronounced as “Wall-do”, when it’s actually said “Wall-DOW”.
5. How to pronounce Chiwetel Ejiofor
Correct pronunciation: “CHOO-ih-tell EDGE-ee-oh-for”
Award-winning British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor has appeared in films including Love Actually and, most recently, The Backrooms.
His name is pronounced “CHOO-ih-tell EDGE-ee-oh-for”. Many people hesitate because the unfamiliar combination of sounds makes them second-guess themselves before saying it aloud.
6. How to pronounce Ralph Fiennes
Correct pronunciation: “Rayf Fines”
One of Britain’s most respected actors, Ralph Fiennes is best known for playing Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter films. However, many people don’t realise they’re pronouncing his name incorrectly.
His name is pronounced “Rayf Fines”, surprising many people because neither his first nor last name sounds the way the spelling suggests
7. How to pronounce Joaquin Phoenix
Correct pronunciation: “Wah-KEEN FEE-niks”
Academy Award winner Joaquin Phoenix is another Hollywood star whose name often catches people out.
His first name is pronounced “Wah-KEEN”, but many instinctively say “Joe-uh-quin” after reading it. The “J” and “Qu” combination doesn’t follow typical English pronunciation patterns, making it an easy name to stumble over.
8. How to pronounce Raven-Symoné
Correct pronunciation: “RAY-ven si-mo-NAY”
As one of Disney Channel’s biggest stars through That’s So Raven, Raven-Symoné’s name is another that many people mispronounce.
She has previously revealed that she never corrected people who got her name wrong because she felt the authentic French pronunciation, “See-mon-ye”, was too difficult for American audiences to say.
