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, either because the pronunciation does not correspond to the spelling, or because a better-known namesake has a markedly different pronunciation.

Excluded are the numerous spellings which fail to make the pronunciation obvious without actually being at odds with it: for example, the pronunciation of Schenectady is non-intuitive but not counter-intuitive.

See 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
Although several examples are included in the list below, pronunciations for the following common suffixes may be considered regular:
 * -borough and -burgh — ; (-bŭr·ə, -brə)
 * -bury — ; (-bŭr·ē, -brē)
 * -cester — ; (-stər)
 * -ham — ; (-əm)
 * -shire — ; (-shər, -shēr)
 * -wick — ; (-ĭk)
 * -mouth — ; (-məth)

A

 * Ahoghill, County Antrim — or ; (ă·hŏ′·hĭl) or (ă·hŏ′·khĭl)
 * Aigburth, Liverpool — ; (ĕg′·bûrth)
 * Alcester, Warwickshire —, ; (ŏls′·tər, ôls′·tər)
 * Allesley, Coventry — ; (ôlz′·lē)
 * Aldeburgh, Suffolk — ; (ôl′·brə)
 * Alnwick, Northumberland — ; (ă′·nĭk)
 * Althorp, Northamptonshire — ; (ôl′·trŏp)
 * Altrincham, Greater Manchester — ; (ŏl′·trĭng·əm)
 * Alverdiscott, Devon —
 * Anstruther, Fife — ; (ān′·stər)
 * Athelstaneford, East Lothian — (ăth′·əl·stān·fərd) or  (āl′·sən·fərd)
 * Auchinleck, Ayrshire — ; (ăf′·lĕk)
 * Averham, Nottinghamshire — ; (ār′·əm)
 * Aveton Gifford, Devon — (ôtən jĭf·fərd)
 * Avoch, Highland ; (ôkh)

B

 * Balliol College, University of Oxford — ; (bā′·lē·əl)
 * Barham, Kent — ; (băr′·əm)
 * Barugh, South Yorkshire — ; (bârk)
 * Great Barugh and Little Barugh, North Yorkshire — ; (bârf)
 * Barnstaple, Devon — ; (bârn′·stə·bəl)
 * Beaminster, Dorset —
 * Beauchief, Sheffield — ; (bē′·chĭf)
 * Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire — ; (bĕk′·ənz·fēld)
 * Beaudesert, Warwickshire — until recently, reflecting original "Beldesert"
 * Beaulieu, Hampshire — ; (bū′·lē)
 * Bellingham, Northumberland — ; (bĕl′·ən·jəm) · (the city of Bellingham, Washington, U.S.A., is pronounced as spelled:, bĕ′·lĭng·hăm)
 * Belvoir Castle, village, and vale, Leicestershire — ; (bē′·vər)
 * Berkeley (all English towns) — ; (bârk′·lē)
 * Berkshire — ; (bârk′·shər)
 * Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland — ; (bĕr′·ĭk)
 * Bicester, Oxfordshire — ; (bĭs′·tər)
 * Billericay, Essex — ; (bĭl′·ə·rĭk′·ē)
 * Blackley, Greater Manchester — ; (blāk′·lē)
 * Boyounagh, County Galway — ; (bwē′·nəkh)
 * Bozeat, Northamptonshire —  ; (bŏŏzh′·ət)
 * Breaghwy, Connacht — ; (brĕf′·ē)
 * Bradley, West Midlands — ; (brād′·lē)
 * Brewood, Staffordshire — ; (brōōd)
 * Bridestowe, West Devon — ;
 * Brougham, Cumbria — ; (brōōm)
 * Burgh by Sands, Cumbria — ; (brŭf)

C

 * Cahir, County Tipperary — ; (kār)
 * Caius College, Cambridge — ; (kēz)
 * Caldmore, West Midlands — ; (kâ′·mər)
 * Cambois, Northumberland — ; (kăm′·əs)
 * Cambridge — ; (kām′·brĭj) · (note that the River Cam and Cambridge, Gloucestershire are pronounced with )
 * Canterbury, Kent — ; (kăn′·tə·brē)
 * River Cherwell, river in England — ; (châr′·wĕl)
 * Cheylesmore, Coventry — ; (châlz′·mor)
 * Chiswick, London — ; (chĭz′· ɪ k)
 * Cholmondeley, Cheshire — ; (chŭm′·lē)
 * Cholmondeston, Cheshire — likewise  ;
 * Cirencester, Gloucestershire — now usually (sī′·rən·sĕs·tər), but formerly (and still occasionally)  (sĭ′·sĭ·tər)
 * Claughton, Lancashire —
 * Claughton on Brock, Lancashire —
 * Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire — ; (klĭb′·ə·rē)
 * Cley next the Sea, Norfolk — ; (klī)
 * Cliveden, Buckinghamshire — ; (klĭv′·dən)
 * Cloghore, County Donegal — ; (klī′·hōr)
 * Clones, County Monaghan — ; (klō′·nĭs)
 * Cobh, County Cork — ; (kōv; Cóbh is regular in Irish)
 * Cogenhoe, Northamptonshire —  ; (kŏŏk′·nō)
 * Costessey, Norfolk — ; (kŏs′·ē)
 * Cowpen, Northumberland — ; (kōō′·pĕn)
 * Cruwys Morchard, Devon — ; (krōōz)
 * Cuckfield, Sussex — ; (kŏŏk′·fēld) · (compare nearby Uckfield pronounced )
 * Culross, Fife — ; (kōō′·rŏs)
 * Cultra, Northern Ireland— ; (kŭl·trô′)
 * Culzean Castle, Ayrshire — ; (kōō·lān′)

D

 * Denbigh — ; (den′·bē)
 * Derby — ; (dâr′·bē)
 * Dodworth, South Yorkshire —
 * Durham — in RP, locally

E

 * Edensor, Derbyshire — ; (ĕn′·zər)


 * Elsecar, South Yorkshire — ; (ĕl·sĭ·kâr′)
 * Ely, Cambridgeshire —  ; (ē′·lē)
 * Erith, London — ; (ē′·rĭth)
 * Esher, Surrey — ; (ē′·shər)
 * Euxton, Lancashire — ; (ĕks′·tən)
 * Eyam, Derbyshire — ; (ēm)

F

 * Findochty, Moray — ; (fĭn′·əkh·tē)
 * Fowey, Cornwall — ; (foi)
 * Friockheim, Angus — (frē′·kŭm)
 * Frocester, Gloucestershire - ; (fross′·ter)
 * Frome, Somerset — ; (frōōm)

G

 * The Garioch, Aberdeenshire — ; (gēr′·ē)
 * Gateacre, Liverpool — ; (găt′·ăk·ər)
 * Gigha, Argyll and Bute — (gē′·ə)
 * Gillingham, Kent — ; (jĭl′·ĭng·əm)
 * Gillingham, Dorset — ; (gĭl′·ĭng·əm)
 * Glamis, Argyll and Bute — (glâmz)
 * Glenzier, Dumfries and Galloway — ; (glĭng′·ər)
 * Gloucester — ; (glŏs′·tər)
 * Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire —
 * Gotham, Nottinghamshire — ; (gō′·təm)
 * Grandtully, Perthshire — (grănt′·lē)
 * Greenwich, Greater London — or ; (grĕn′· ɪ ch) or (grĭn′· ɪ ch)
 * Greysouthen, Cumbria — ; (grā′·sōōn)
 * Groby, Leicestershire — ; (grōō′·bē)
 * Guildford, Surrey — ; (gĭl′·fərd)
 * Guisborough, North Yorkshire — ; (gĭz′·brə)

H

 * Halford, Midlands — ; (hâl′·fərd") (not as in Leeds)
 * Happisburgh, Norfolk — ; (hāz′·brə)
 * Little Hautbois, Norfolk —
 * Hawarden, Flintshire — ; (hâr′·dən)
 * Hawick, Scottish Borders — ; (hoik)
 * Heather, Leicestershire — ; (hē′·dhər)


 * Hessle, East Riding of Yorkshire — ; (hĕz′·əl)
 * Heysham, Lancashire — ; (hē′·shəm)
 * Holborn, London — ; (hō′·bərn")
 * Holnicote, Somerset —
 * Holyhead, Wales — ; (hŏl′·ē·hĕd)
 * Hunstanton, Norfolk — ; (hŭns′·tən)

I

 * Ide, Devon —
 * Inistioge, County Kilkenny — ; (ĭn·ĭsh·tēg′)
 * Islay, island of the Inner Hebrides — ; (ī′·lə)

K

 * Keadby, Lincolnshire — ; (kĭd′·bē)
 * Keighley, West Yorkshire — ; (kēth′·lē)
 * Keswick, Cumbria — ; (kĕz′· ɪ k)
 * Keynsham, near Bristol — ; (kān′·shəm)
 * Kilncadzow, South Lanarkshire, Scotland — ; Kill-caig-eh
 * Kilconquhar, Fife — ; (k ɪ ·nyŭkh′·ər)
 * Kingussie, Highland — ; (kĭng·yōō′·sē)
 * Kiltimagh, County Mayo — ; (kĭl·ch ɪ ·mŏk′)
 * Kirkby, Merseyside — ; (kûr′·bē)
 * Kirkcaldy, Fife — ; (kĭr·kô′·dē)
 * Kirkcudbright, Galloway — ; (kər·kōō′·brē")

L

 * Laugharne, Carmarthenshire — ; (lârn)
 * Launceston, Cornwall — or  (lôn′·stən, lôn′·sən or lăn′·stən, lăn′·sən) (versus Launceston, Tasmania, pronounced  [lŏn′·səs·tən])
 * Leamington Spa and Leamington Hastings, Warwickshire — ; (lĕm′·ĭng·tən)
 * Leap, County Cork — ; (lĕp)
 * Leicester — ; (lĕs′·tər)
 * Leigh, Kent — ; (lī)
 * Leighlin and Leighlinbridge,  County Carlow —  (Also with  instead of )
 * Leominster, Herefordshire — ; (lĕm′·stər) · (compare Leominster, Massachusetts below)
 * Lewannick, Cornwall — ; (lōō·ŏn′· ɪ k)
 * Liskeard, Cornwall — ; (lĭ·skârd′)
 * Loose, Kent — ; (lōōz)
 * Lostwithiel, Cornwall — ; (lŏs·wĭdh′·ē·ĕl)
 * Ludgvan, Cornwall — ;
 * Lympne, Kent — ; (lĭm)

M

 * Magdalen College, University of Oxford and Magdalene College, University of Cambridge — ; (môd′·lĭn)
 * Magdalen Hill, Winchester — ; (môn)


 * Marlborough, Wiltshire — ; (môl′·brə)
 * Marylebone, London —, , or ;
 * Meols, Wirral Peninsula in Merseyside — ; (mĕlz)
 * Meols Cop, Southport — ; (mēlz)
 * Meopham, Kent — ; (mĕp′·əm)
 * Mildenhall, Wiltshire — ; (mī′·nəl)
 * Milngavie, Scotland — or ; (mŭl′·gī) or (mĭl′·gī)


 * Mousehole, Cornwall — ; (mou′·zəl)


 * Mweelrea, County Mayo — ; (mwāl·rē′·ə)
 * Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire — ; (mī′·dhəm·royd)

N

 * Naas, County Kildare, Ireland — ; (nās)
 * Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland — ; (nā)
 * River Nene, Northamptonshire — ; (nĕn)
 * Norwich, Norfolk — ; (nŏr′· ɪ j)

O

 * Olney, Buckinghamshire — (ô′·nē) (local pronunciation);  (ŏl′·nē)
 * Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire — ; (ŏz′·twĭs·l) (local pronunciation); (ŏz′·l·twĭz·l)
 * Owenabue, river in County Cork —  (ō·nə·bwē′)

P

 * Plaistow, Newham, Greater London — ; (plâ′·stō)
 * Plymouth, Devon — ; (plĭm′·əth)
 * Portesham, Dorset — (old-fashioned), currently  or
 * Postwick, Norfolk -
 * Poxwell, Dorset —
 * Prideaux Castle, Cornwall —
 * Prinknash, Gloucestershire — (prĭn′·n ɪ sh)
 * Puncknowle, Devon — (pŭn′·əl)

R

 * Rainworth, Nottinghamshire — ; (rĕn′·əth)
 * Ratlinghope, Shropshire — ; (răt′·shŭp) (local pronunciation)
 * Ravenstruther, Lanarkshire — ; ren-stray
 * Reading, Berkshire — ; (rĕd′·ĭng)
 * Rievaulx, North Yorkshire — ; (rē′·vō)
 * Rocester, Staffordshire — ; (rō′·stə(r))
 * Ruislip, London —
 * Ruthven, Aberdeenshire — ; (rĭv′·ən)

S

 * St. Ive, Cornwall — ; (ēv) · (however, St Ives is pronounced )
 * St. Teath, Cornwall — ; (tĕth)
 * Salisbury, Wiltshire — ; (zôz′·brē) (local pronunciation) · or ; (sŏlz′·brē) or (sôlz′·brē)
 * Sanquhar, Dumfries and Galloway —
 * Scone, Perthshire - (rhymes with "spoon")
 * Shrewsbury, Shropshire — ; (shrōz'brē) · (though sometimes pronounced as )
 * Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire — pronunciation varies, ; (slă′·wĭt)
 * Smethwick, West Midlands — ; (smĕdh′· ɪ k)


 * Southwark, Greater London — ; (sŭdh′·ərk); locally ; (sŭv′·ərk)
 * Southwell, Nottinghamshire — or ; (sŭdh′·əl or sowth′·wəl)
 * Staithes, North Yorkshire — locally (stērz)
 * Stawell, Somerset — (stŏl)
 * Steyning, West Sussex — ;
 * Stiffkey, Norfolk — ; (stū′·kē); (though it can be pronounced )
 * Stivichall or Styvechale, Coventry — ; (stī′·chəl)
 * Strabane, County Tyrone — ; (strə·băn′)
 * Strathaven, South Lanarkshire — ; (strā′·vən)
 * River Suir in Leinster, Ireland — ; (shōōr)

T

 * Tacolneston, Norfolk — ; (tăk′·əl·stən)
 * Tallaght, County Dublin — ; (tăl′·ə)
 * Teignmouth, Devon — ; (tĭn′·məth)
 * Teston, Kent — ; (tē′·sən)
 * River Thames— ; (tĕmz) · (the Thames River in Connecticut is pronounced as )
 * Tideswell, Derbyshire — ; (tĭd′·səl)
 * Tintwistle, Derbyshire — ; (tĭn′·səl)
 * Todmorden, West Yorkshire — is the most common pronunciation although the BBC uses.
 * Torpenhow, Cumbria — (trə·pĕn′·ə) (local pronunciation) · (elsewhere pronounced as )
 * Torquay, Devon — ; (tôr·kē′)


 * Towcester, Northamptonshire — ; (tōs′·tər)
 * Trewoon, Cornwall — ; (trōō′·ən)
 * Trottiscliffe, Kent — ; (trŏz′·lē)

U

 * Ulgham, Northumberland —  (ŭf′·əm)

W

 * Warwick and Warwickshire — ; (wŏr′· ɪ k) · ; (wŏr′· ɪ k·shər)
 * Wavertree, Lancaster— (probably obsolete )
 * Market Weighton, East Riding of Yorkshire — ; (wēt′·n)
 * Welwyn, (wĕl′·ĭn)
 * Wemyss Bay, Inverclyde — (wēmz)
 * Widecombe, Devon —
 * Wisbech, Cambridgeshire — (wĭz′·bēch)
 * East Woodhay and West Woodhay — ; (wŏŏd′·ē)
 * Woolfardisworthy, Devon — or ; (wŏŏl′·zē) or (wŏŏl′·zər·ē)
 * Worcester (wŏŏs′·tər)
 * Wrotham, Kent — (rŏŏt′·əm)
 * Wybunbury, Cheshire — ; (wĭn′·brē)
 * Wycombe, Buckinghamshire — ; (wĭk′·əm)
 * Wymondham, Norfolk — ; (wĭn′·dəm) (local pronunciation)
 * Wytham, Oxfordshire — ; (wī′·təm)

Y

 * Youghal, County Cork, Ireland — ; (yôl)

Z

 * Zouch, Nottinghamshire — ; (zŏch)
 * Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire — ; (zōōsh)

A

 * Aberdeen, Washington — stressed on the first syllable, unlike Aberdeen, Scotland, which is stressed on the final syllable
 * Abiquiu, New Mexico —
 * Acequia, Idaho —
 * Achilles, Kansas —  (Achilles is )
 * Aloha, Oregon —
 * Alsea, Oregon —
 * Amherst, Massachusetts — (The "h" is silent.)
 * Arab, Alabama —
 * Arkansas — . However, Arkansas City, Kansas is pronounced , as is the Arkansas River to many Kansans.
 * Arriba, Colorado —
 * Athens, Kentucky, Athens, Illinois and New Athens, Illinois —
 * Ausable River (New York) —

B

 * Bahama, North Carolina —
 * Barre, Vermont —
 * Beatrice, Alabama and Beatrice, Nebraska — ; usually Beatrice is
 * Beaufort, South Carolina — vs.  of Beaufort, North Carolina
 * Belen, New Mexico —
 * Bellefontaine, Ohio —
 * Benld, Illinois —
 * Bergen, New York —
 * Berlin, Connecticut, New Berlin, Illinois, Berlin, New Hampshire, New Berlin, New York, Berlin, Ohio, and New Berlin, Wisconsin — (stress on first syllable)


 * Bernardsville, New Jersey —
 * Bexar, Texas — or
 * Billerica, Massachusetts —
 * Bingen, Washington —
 * Biscay, Minnesota — (cf Biscay )
 * Boerne, Texas —
 * Bois D'Arc, Missouri —
 * Boise, Idaho — (this is the standard local pronunciation, but most Americans, especially those far removed from Idaho, pronounce it )
 * Boise City, Oklahoma — The "Boise" in this place name is locally pronounced, 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, Tennessee, Bolivar, Missouri, Bolivar, West Virginia — named for Simón Bolívar but pronounced, as if to rhyme with "oliver"
 * Bossier City, Louisiana —
 * Bowie, Maryland —
 * Bothell, Washington —
 * Buena Vista, Colorado, Buena Vista, Oregon, Buena Vista, Virginia, Buena Vista, Shelby County, Texas —
 * Bucoda, Washington —
 * Buddha, Indiana —
 * Buhl, Idaho —
 * Burien, Washington —

C

 * Cairo, Illinois, Cairo, Ohio and Cairo, Mississippi —
 * Calais, Maine and Calais, Vermont —   (The town of Calais in France was formerly also pronounced  in English; today, with initial stress in British English and final stress in American English, is the normal pronunciation.)
 * Camano Island, Washington —
 * Cambridge, Massachusetts —
 * Casa Grande, Arizona — (not as it would be in Spanish)
 * Camp Hill, Pennsylvania –
 * Canyon de Chelly, Arizona —
 * Castile, New York
 * Celina, Texas —
 * Chatham, Massachusetts —
 * Chehalis, Washington —
 * Chelan, Chelan County, and Lake Chelan, Washington —, ( shə-lăn′)
 * Cherryville, North Carolina —
 * Chewelah, Washington —
 * Chicago —
 * Chickasha, Oklahoma —
 * Chili, New York —, though indeed named after the country Chili/Chile
 * Clatskanie, Oregon —
 * Coeur d'Alene, Idaho —
 * Columbus, Ohio — (non-standard)
 * Conneaut, Ohio and Conneautville, Pennsylvania —
 * Conetoe, North Carolina —
 * Connecticut —
 * Copalis Beach, Washington —
 * Coquille, Oregon —
 * Cordele, Georgia — kor-
 * Corfu, New York —
 * Cudahy, California — or

D

 * Delhi, California and Delhi, New York — both
 * Des Moines, Iowa —, Des Moines, Washington — , (cf. Des Plaines, Illinois )
 * Deschutes River, Oregon, and Deschutes River, Washington —
 * Mount Desert Island, Maine— to add to the confusing pronunciation of desert and dessert
 * Duarte, California —
 * DuBois, Pennsylvania — or  vs. the surname, which is sometimes
 * Duenweg, Missouri —
 * Dungeness River and Dungeness Spit, Washington —

E

 * El Dorado, Arkansas, El Dorado, Kansas, El Dorado Springs, Missouri, and Eldorado, Illinois —
 * Elbe, Washington —
 * Elgin, Illinois — vs. Elgin, Texas
 * Elizabethton, Tennessee -
 * Embarras(s) River, Illinois —
 * Ephrata, Washington — (unlike the Borough of Ephrata, Pennsylvania, which is pronounced )
 * Estacada, Oregon —

F

 * Faneuil Hall, Boston, Massachusetts —
 * Fries, Virginia —

G

 * Galice, Oregon —
 * Galveston, Indiana — vs  for Galveston, Texas
 * Gloucester, Massachusetts —.
 * Greenwich, Connecticut and Greenwich Village in New York City —
 * Gruene, Texas —

H

 * Haverhill, Massachusetts —
 * Havre, Montana —
 * Havre de Grace, Maryland —
 * Hereford, Texas and Hereford, Pennsylvania —
 * Hindman, Kentucky
 * Hockessin, Delaware —
 * Houston, Georgia and Houston Street (Manhattan) —, vs the better known, irregularly pronounced of Houston, Texas, named via Sam Houston after Houston, Scotland, a concatenation of "Hu's town"
 * Huger, South Carolina — or
 * Hurricane, Utah, Hurricane, West Virginia and Hurricane, Mississippi — (The  ending is standard in the British pronunciation of hurricane, but not in American English)
 * Hyak, Washington —

I

 * Illinois —
 * Ilwaco, Washington —
 * Ironton, Ohio —
 * Ischua, New York —
 * Isla Vista, California -
 * Iselin, New Jersey —
 * Isle au Haut, Maine —
 * Islip, New York —
 * Italy, Texas —, with two syllables only

J

 * Strait of Juan de Fuca —
 * Julian, Pennsylvania —

K

 * Kalaloch, Washington —
 * Kamela, Oregon —
 * Kamiah, Idaho —
 * Kearney, Nebraska and Kearny, New Jersey —
 * Keechelus Lake, Washington —
 * Kosciusko, Mississippi —
 * Kosciusko County, Indiana —
 * Kountze, Texas —
 * Kure Beach, North Carolina —

L

 * Lac Courte Oreilles, Wisconsin —
 * Lafayette in Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee — vs. the cities in Indiana and Louisiana that are pronounced, approximating the original French
 * La Grande, Oregon —
 * Lake Oswego, Oregon —
 * Lamesa, Texas —
 * La Plata, Maryland —
 * Lapwai, Idaho —
 * Latah, Washington and Latah County, Idaho —
 * Leakey, Texas —
 * Lebam, Washington —
 * Lebanon, New Hampshire —
 * Leicester, Massachusetts —
 * Lemhi County, Idaho —
 * Lemoore, California — officially after the founder, quickly becoming  due to its spelling and the number of new people moving in to the town
 * Leominster, Massachusetts —
 * Lewes, Delaware —
 * Lima, Ohio —
 * Lodi, California, and elsewhere in US —
 * Lompoc, California —
 * Louisville, Colorado, Louisville, Georgia, Louisville, Ohio — vs.  Louisville, Kentucky, locally  or even

M

 * Mackinac Island, Michigan —
 * Madras, Oregon —
 * Madrid, New Mexico and New Madrid, Missouri —
 * Malad City, Idaho and Malad River —
 * Malheur County, Oregon and Malheur River —
 * Manchaca, Texas —
 * Manor, Texas —
 * Mantua, Utah —
 * Marquam, Oregon —
 * Maury County, Tennessee —
 * Medina, Ohio and Washington —
 * Mesa, Washington —
 * Methow, Washington —
 * Mexia, Texas —
 * Miami, Oklahoma — (as opposed to the commonly known pronunciation of Miami, Florida)
 * Milan, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, Tennessee, and Washington —
 * Minam, Oregon —
 * Missouri — The "ss" represents in either common pronunciation:  or
 * Monson, Massachusetts —
 * Montague, Texas —
 * Montpelier, Virginia —, perhaps more intuitive than the US standard of Montpelier, Vermont and others. all derived from Montpellier, France
 * Moscow, Idaho — (similar to the British English pronunciation of Moscow, Russia). Other Moscows in America are, the American English pronunciation of the Russian city.
 * Mukilteo, Washington —
 * Mulino, Oregon —

N

 * Naches, Washington —
 * Nacogdoches, Texas —
 * Nahant, Massachusetts —
 * Naselle, Washington —
 * Natchitoches, Louisiana —
 * Neah Bay, Washington —
 * Nenana, Alaska and Nenana River —
 * Nespelem, Washington —
 * Nevada — ; the pronunciation, while fairly common (particularly in the eastern United States), is stigmatized locally.
 * Nevada County, Arkansas; Nevada, Iowa; and Nevada, Missouri —
 * Newark, Ohio — vs. Newark, Delaware
 * New Berlin, New York — (see Berlin)
 * New Orleans — or  (local pronunciation only)
 * New Madrid, Missouri — (accent on first syllable)
 * New Prague, Minnesota. —

O

 * Ojai, California —
 * Orcas Island, Washington — (not, like the plural of orca)
 * Ouray, Colorado —
 * Owyhee River and Owyhee County, Idaho —

P

 * Palacios, Texas —
 * Palermo, North Dakota —
 * Palestine, Texas — (cf Palestine
 * Palo Gaucho Bayou, Texas — "Polly-gotch"
 * Palouse, Washington —
 * Pass Christian, Mississippi — or  (cf. the regular pronunciation of "Christian", )
 * Pawtucket, Rhode Island —
 * Peabody, Massachusetts —, not
 * Pearrygin Lake, Washington —
 * Pedernales River, Texas —
 * Pend Oreille County, Washington and Pend Oreille (also Pend d'Oreille) River — (pon-də-), compare to the similarly pronounced nearby town of Ponderay, Idaho.
 * Picabo, Idaho —
 * Pierre, South Dakota —
 * Pfafftown, North Carolina — (Usually the p is silent in names starting with Pf)
 * Piceance Creek & Basin, Colorado — or
 * Plano, Texas —
 * Plymouth, Massachusetts and elsewhere —
 * Point Mugu, California -
 * Pojoaque Pueblo, New Mexico —  by Anglos only
 * Port Hueneme, California -
 * Pompeii, Michigan — (, unlike the Italian town pronounced )
 * Poughkeepsie, New York —
 * Poulsbo, Washington —
 * Puget Sound, Washington —
 * Puyallup, Washington —

Q

 * Quincy, Massachusetts —
 * Quitaque, Texas —
 * Qulin, Missouri —

R

 * Raleigh, North Carolina —
 * Refugio, Texas —
 * Rhea County, Tennessee —
 * Riga, New York —
 * Rio Grande, Ohio —  (Rio, Florida also uses the "RYE-oh" pronunciation)
 * Ruch, Oregon —
 * Russia, Ohio —, which approximates the Russian language pronunciation
 * Rutherfordton, North Carolina — locally or variations on that

S

 * Saline, Michigan and Saline County, Illinois — (sə-)
 * Samish Island, Washington —
 * Sammamish, Washington —
 * San Jose, Illinois —
 * San Rafael, California —
 * San Xavier, Arizona —
 * Schaghticoke, New York —  or
 * Schuylkill in Pennsylvania —
 * Sedro-Woolley, Washington —
 * Sekiu, Washington —
 * Semiahmoo, Washington — ; (sĕm′·ē·â′·mō)
 * Sequim, Washington —
 * Shawangunk (Mountains, town and prison in Hudson Valley region of New York) — local pronunciation is
 * Shoshone, Idaho —
 * Siuslaw River, Oregon —
 * Skagit (name of a Native American tribe and various locales in Washington) —
 * Skamokawa, Washington —
 * Sol Duc River, Washington —  (the spelling "soleduck" is also encountered)
 * Spokane, Washington — (spoh-)
 * Staunton, Virginia —
 * Stehekin, Washington —
 * Steilacoom, Washington —
 * Suisun City, California — (sə-)
 * Swansea, Massachusetts —

T

 * Taliaferro County, Georgia—
 * Tanana, Alaska and Tanana River —
 * Tekoa, Washington —
 * Telocaset, Oregon —
 * Terre Haute, Indiana — (also )
 * Tewksbury, Massachusetts — traditionally
 * The Dalles, Oregon —
 * Thibodaux, Louisiana —
 * Tieton, Washington —
 * Tillamook County, Oregon — (although locals pronounce it as )
 * Tok, Alaska —
 * Tooele, Utah —
 * Topsail Beach, North Carolina —
 * Touchet River, Washington —
 * Toutle River, Washington —
 * Tripoli, Iowa —
 * Tualatin, Oregon, Tualatin River —
 * Tulare, California — or
 * Tucson, Arizona —
 * Tygh Valley, Oregon —

V

 * Valdez, Alaska —
 * Vallejo, California —, locally
 * Veneta, Oregon —
 * Verdi, Nevada —
 * Versailles, Illinois, Versailles, Kentucky, Versailles, Missouri, and Versailles, Ohio —
 * Vienna, Illinois, Vienna, South Dakota —

W

 * Wahkiakum County, Washington —
 * Wallowa, Oregon, Wallowa County, and the Wallowa Mountains —
 * Wallula, Washington —
 * Weippe, Idaho —
 * Weiser, Idaho —
 * Whitemarsh Island —
 * Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania —, , or
 * Willamette River, Oregon —
 * Willapa River and Willapa Hills, Washington —
 * Woburn, Massachusetts —, Woburn, Bedfordshire and Woburn, Toronto are simply
 * Worcester, Massachusetts —

Y

 * Yakima, Yakima County, and Yakima River, Washington —, though the pronunciation  is also heard.  The Native American people for whom the river, city, and county are named now prefer the spelling Yakama.
 * Yachats, Oregon —
 * Yaquina Bay and related place names in Oregon —
 * Yocona River, Mississippi —
 * Youghiogheny River, U.S. —
 * Yreka, California —

Z

 * Zzyzx, California —

Place names in other English-speaking countries

 * A
 * Agassiz, British Columbia —
 * B
 * Baie d'Espoir, Newfoundland —, French for "Bay of Hope", ironically pronounced "Bay Despair"
 * Brisbane, Australia —
 * C
 * Cockburn, Australia —
 * D
 * Delhi, Ontario —
 * E
 * Etobicoke, Ontario —
 * G
 * Gaultois, Newfoundland and Labrador —
 * J
 * Job's Cove — (after biblical Job)
 * K
 * Kelowna, British Columbia —
 * Keremeos, British Columbia —
 * Kiribati (island nation in Pacific Ocean) — (Gilbertese approximation of Gilberts.)
 * Kiritimati (island in Pacific Ocean) — (Gilbertese approximation of Christmas.)
 * Mount Kosciuszko, Australia —
 * L
 * L'Ardoise, Nova Scotia -
 * M
 * Melbourne, Australia — or English-language vowel changes before historic l
 * N
 * Newfoundland —
 * North Gower, Ontario — "go-er" (not "gow-er")
 * O
 * Osoyoos, British Columbia —  or  and (originally)
 * P
 * Pago Pago, American Samoa —
 * Pouce Coupe, British Columbia —
 * Q
 * Quebec, Canada — (alongside anglicized )
 * Quesnel, British Columbia —
 * Quidi Vidi, Newfoundland —
 * Quirpon, Newfoundland and Labrador —
 * S
 * Saanich Peninsula and related place names in British Columbia —
 * Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario/ Michigan —
 * Sechelt, British Columbia —
 * Skidegate, British Columbia —


 * Stouffville, Ontario —
 * Summerland, British Columbia — (not )
 * T
 * Thames River in Ontario, and town and firth in New Zealand — (the Thames River in Connecticut is pronounced )
 * Tsawwassen, British Columbia —

Given names

 * Antawn Jamison — (American English pronunciation of "Antoine". For more information, see the section on his name.)
 * Chynna Phillips —
 * Kiki Cuyler — ; compare with the more common , as in Kiki Dee and Kiki Vandeweghe
 * Magdalen(e) (as in Magdalen College, Oxford and Magdalene College, Cambridge) —
 * MaliVai Washington —
 * Matraca Berg —
 * Michellie Jones —
 * Monta Ellis —
 * Picabo Street —
 * Ralph — traditionally, as with Ralph Fiennes, Ralph Vaughan Williams; now usually the intuitive
 * Rise — occasionally (, after Risë Stevens: the diaeresis over the e of Risë indicates that it is not a silent e)
 * Seamus — ; spelling Séamus is regular in Irish)
 * Sean — (spelling Seán is regular in Irish)
 * Shan Foster —
 * Siobhan — (spelling Siobhán is regular in Irish)
 * Stephen Curry —, instead of the more common (in American English)
 * Wynonna Judd —

A-B

 * Duke of Abercorn —
 * David Acer —
 * Peter Agre —
 * Ameche (Don & Alan) —  (Anglicized spelling of the Italian name "Amici")
 * Aucoin — from (e.g. Kevyn Aucoin),,  (e.g. Bill Aucoin), to
 * Ayscough (e.g. Hannah Ayscough) —
 * Walter Bagehot —
 * Jim Bakker —
 * Earl Beauchamp —
 * Beauclerk —
 * Berkeley (English surname) — . Surname in the US.
 * Bohun —
 * Blount (e.g. Mel Blount, Roy Blount, Jr.) —
 * Roger Boisjoly —
 * Boulware (Virginia) —
 * John Boozman —
 * KC Boutiette —
 * Eli Broad —
 * Duke of Buccleuch — (bə-)
 * Steve Buyer —

C

 * John Caius (as in Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge) —
 * Thomas Carew, poet — ; compare with the more intuitive (kə-), as in John Carew (footballer) and Rod Carew
 * Jason Chaffetz —
 * Craig Chaquico —
 * Mamah Cheney —
 * Cheves (e.g. Langdon Cheves) —
 * Cholmondeley —
 * Cecelia Cichan —
 * Cockburn —
 * Colcolough (Virginia, e.g. Tom Colcolough) — or
 * Colquhoun —
 * Aaron Copland —
 * Dan Cortese —
 * Cowper —


 * Crichton —
 * Cruwys (e.g. Margaret Cruwys —
 * Culzean Castle, Scotland —
 * Cuyjet —

D-E

 * Vernon Dahmer —
 * Dalyell and Dalziel (as in the UK television series Dalziel and Pascoe) — (dee-)
 * Davies — both and
 * DeLaughter, e.g. Tim DeLaughter —
 * Diuguid —
 * John Donne, poet —
 * Andre Dubus — (də-)
 * Justin Duchscherer — ''
 * Keir Dullea — (də-)
 * Dyches —
 * Eames (e.g. Emma Eames) — properly (?), though often
 * Ehle (Jennifer; John) —
 * Cary Elwes —
 * Enroughty (S. Carolina) —

F-H

 * Faneuil — or
 * Ron Faucheux — (foe-)
 * Brett Favre —
 * Featherstonehaugh — ; also, , , or as
 * Ronald Fedkiw —
 * William Foege —
 * Fotheringay — pronounced funghy
 * Robert Fulghum — ( FULL -jəm)
 * Clifford Geertz —
 * Geogehan, Geoghegan —


 * Donald Glut —
 * Lee Godie —
 * Goodenough — usually
 * Elizabeth Goudge —
 * Greenhalgh — or
 * Matt Groening —
 * Grosvenor — or
 * Guild, e.g. Nancy Guild —
 * Earl of Harewood —
 * Earl of Home — (rhymes with fume)
 * Benjamin Huger —  or
 * William Hulme — (same as the Earl of Home's name)

I-L

 * David Icke —
 * Andrew P. Iosue —
 * Isley Brothers —
 * Darrell Issa —
 * Jacques — sometimes (e.g. Brian Jacques, Hattie Jacques)
 * Hamilton Jordan —
 * Rob Kearney - (Pronounced as 'Carney')
 * John Keble (of Keble College) —
 * Kehoe, Keogh (Irish surname) —
 * Kerr
 * In the case of Deborah Kerr, "car"
 * Original Scottish: (e.g., Graham Kerr, the "Galloping Gourmet")
 * American English: Often, as in Steve Kerr
 * Keynes, e.g. John Maynard Keynes —
 * Karch Kiraly — (kirr-)
 * Stephen Kleene — ;  and  are common mispronunciations.
 * Shia LaBeouf —  (lə-)
 * Landrieu —
 * Lalor —
 * Lange — usually
 * David Lange —
 * Lascelles (e.g. Alan Lascelles) — (rhymes with "tassels")
 * Lauren (Ralph) — (, rather than lo-)
 * Legaré (e.g. Hugh S. Legaré ) — (lə-)
 * John Lescroart — (les-)
 * Leveson-Gower (e.g. H. D. G. Leveson-Gower, Granville George Leveson-Gower) —
 * Lewes, e.g. George Henry Lewes —
 * J. Thomas Looney —

M

 * Machin (e.g. Arnold Machin) —
 * MacKay — in Scotland (rhymes with "sky"), elsewhere more often the anglicised
 * Mackay (e.g. Clarence Mackay) —
 * MacLeod, McLeod —
 * MacMahon, McMahon — sometimes (mək-), as in the McMahon wrestling family
 * Mainwaring — (non-fictional Mainwarings pronounce it the same)
 * Robert Mapplethorpe —
 * Marjoribanks —
 * Marlborough —
 * Maugham (e.g. Somerset Maugham) —
 * Marin Mazzie —
 * McCaughey (e.g. the McCaughey septuplets) —
 * Geraldine McCaughrean —
 * McGrath — In Ireland usually, though elsewhere often
 * McLean, MacLean —  , occasionally its anglicised equivalent  (rhymes with "clean")
 * Meagher — ,
 * David Mech —
 * Melancon (e.g. Charlie Melancon) — (almost is regular French pronunciation /məˈlɑ̃sɔ̃/ of "Melançon" with a c-cedilla)
 * Menzies —
 * Moog —
 * Moragne (U.S.) —

N-Q

 * Naifeh —
 * Randy Neugebauer —
 * Bill Nighy —
 * Laura Nyro —
 * Laurence Olivier —
 * Ouzts —
 * Samuel Pepys —
 * Lou Piniella —
 * Pole-Carew (e.g. William Pole-Carew) —
 * Cliff Politte — (pol-)
 * Popo Agie Wilderness, Wyoming
 * Pou (e.g. Edward W. Pou) —
 * Prioleau (e.g. Pierson Prioleau) —
 * Proulx (as in Marcel Proulx and E. Annie Proulx) —

R

 * Raleigh (surname) —
 * Rehm (e.g. Diane Rehm) —
 * Pete Reiser —
 * Mary Renault —
 * Reynolds —
 * Rhea (e.g. Caroline Rhea) —
 * Rhys —
 * Lisa Rieffel — (rə-)
 * Riordan (e.g. Richard Riordan, Mike Riordan) — often
 * Roosevelt -
 * Klaus Roth —
 * Marge Roukema —
 * Kirk Rueter —
 * Ed Ruscha — (roo-)

S

 * St John (first name and surname) — (as in Oliver St. John Gogarty); or  or  (as in Ian St. John).
 * Rachael Scdoris — (the same as the Sedoris from which it developed)
 * Schaffer, Shaffer — often rather than
 * Terri Schiavo —  vs. regular Mary Schiavo.
 * Schlumberger — (shlum-bər-)
 * Patti Scialfa —
 * Steven Seagal — (after Chagall; his father's name is simply pronounced )
 * Junior Seau —
 * Seay — sometimes (Seay, Mark Seay), usually
 * Karen Sillas —
 * Smellie (Scottish, e.g. William Smellie) —
 * Somerset —
 * Strachan — (e.g. Gordon Strachan);, now often
 * Baron Strange —, as in Lord Strange's Men
 * Dana Suesse —
 * Synge —

T-V

 * Tal(l)iaferro —
 * Roger Taney —
 * Lauren Tewes —
 * Thome (e.g. Jim Thome) —
 * Threatt (e.g. Sedale Threatt) —
 * Todd Tiahrt —
 * Tilghman —
 * Tjoelker —
 * Jonathan Toews —
 * Trevelyan —
 * Tyrwhitt (e.g. Reginald Tyrwhitt) — (rhymes with "spirit")
 * Urquhart —
 * Vanderhorst (S. Carolina) (e.g. Arnoldus Vanderhorst —
 * Bill Veeck —

W-Z

 * Waldegrave —
 * Wein, Weiner — often and
 * Winzet —
 * Wodehouse —
 * Worcester —
 * Larry Woiwode —
 * Woolfardisworthy —
 * Herman Wouk —
 * Patricia Wrede —
 * Wriothesley (e.g. the Earls of Southampton)— variably given as, , , ,  or
 * Yeaton —
 * William Butler Yeats —
 * Yeend, e.g. Frances Yeend —
 * Clayton Yeutter —  (rhymes with "fighter")