There was a time when the Screen Actors Guild would encourage
celebrities with peculiar names to make them more mainstream. For
example, if you had a super Italian name, perhaps it would be in your
best interest to change your name to something more "all-American,"
sounding. Like, you know, John Smith.
Now, Hollywood is a little different. Being diverse and unusual is seen as an asset as opposed to a hindrance, and so if your name is slightly different from the norm, all the better for your career. But having an unusual name is also a bit difficult when your name is splashed all over paper, magazines, and the internet: Some people just can't figure out how to pronounce it.
Below are 15 celebrities with strange and unusual names (and some that are fairly simple, but you're just mispronouncing them). Odds are, you've been saying at least half of these the wrong way. Don't worry: We've got the truth all sorted out for you.
Now, Hollywood is a little different. Being diverse and unusual is seen as an asset as opposed to a hindrance, and so if your name is slightly different from the norm, all the better for your career. But having an unusual name is also a bit difficult when your name is splashed all over paper, magazines, and the internet: Some people just can't figure out how to pronounce it.
Below are 15 celebrities with strange and unusual names (and some that are fairly simple, but you're just mispronouncing them). Odds are, you've been saying at least half of these the wrong way. Don't worry: We've got the truth all sorted out for you.
#1. Cara Delevingne
Admittedly, this model/actress' last name has some questionable
spelling, and it's difficult to figure out how to say it. Never fear,
we've got it all figured out.
Here's how you say it: Care-uh Del-a-veen
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Car-uh Della-veene
When in doubt, just say her name with a British accent.
Here's how you say it: Care-uh Del-a-veen
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Car-uh Della-veene
When in doubt, just say her name with a British accent.
Cara Delevingne / Twitter
#2. Jake Gyllenhaal
Okay, this one is going to mess with your mind. In fact, you'll
be more blown away than if you actually saw Jake's handsome face in
person.
Here's how you say it: Jake Gill-en-hall
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Jake YEE-len-haul
Yeah. We're freaked out about it, too.
Here's how you say it: Jake Gill-en-hall
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Jake YEE-len-haul
Yeah. We're freaked out about it, too.
Getty Images/Elisabetta Villa
#3. Amanda Seyfried
Some names just make no sense at all, and this young star's name is one of them. Don't worry, we've got you covered.
Here's how you say it: Amanda Say-fried
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Amanda Sigh-fred
It makes no sense, but you can't argue with the truth.
Here's how you say it: Amanda Say-fried
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Amanda Sigh-fred
It makes no sense, but you can't argue with the truth.
Andreas Rentz/Getty Images
#4. Charlize Theron
She's a massive movie star with a mysterious private life
(Remember when she ghosted Sean Penn?), and her name is just as big of a
mystery, isn't it?
Here's how you say it: Char-leeze Thuh-ron
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Shar-leeze There-in
Maybe Sean Penn never figured it out?
Here's how you say it: Char-leeze Thuh-ron
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Shar-leeze There-in
Maybe Sean Penn never figured it out?
#5. Joe Manganiello
We get it: There's just no way to figure out how to say this
man's name when you're so distracted by how good he looks. However, you
might want to learn just in case you ever come across him IRL and manage
to contain yourself.
Here's how you say it: Joe Man-ga-nell-o
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Joe Man-GUH-nello
Who cares: Whatever his name is, he's still hot.
Here's how you say it: Joe Man-ga-nell-o
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Joe Man-GUH-nello
Who cares: Whatever his name is, he's still hot.
Hew Burney/Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas
#6. Mila Kunis
We first got to know her on That Seventies Show, but apparently
we never really figured out how to pronounce her name the right way.
Here's how you say it: Meal-uh Q-nes
Here's how ow you're supposed to say it: Mee-luh Koo-niss
It's a subtle difference, but at least now we know.
Here's how you say it: Meal-uh Q-nes
Here's how ow you're supposed to say it: Mee-luh Koo-niss
It's a subtle difference, but at least now we know.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
#7. Anna Faris
She's a hilarious movie store that also happens to be married
to Chris Pratt, and the true pronunciation of her name might surprise
you.
Here's how you say it: ANN-a Faris
Here's how you're supposed to say it: AH-na Faris
Somehow, it's just a bit more classy when you pronounce it the right way.
Here's how you say it: ANN-a Faris
Here's how you're supposed to say it: AH-na Faris
Somehow, it's just a bit more classy when you pronounce it the right way.
Amy Graves
#8. Hayden Panettiere
She got her big break on the NBC show Heroes, but it probably
takes some kind of superhero to figure out how to pronounce her name.
Here's how you're saying it: Hayden PAN-eh-tier
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Hayden PAN-eh-TEER-air
First stop: Pronouncing Hayden's name right. Next stop: Saving the world.
Here's how you're saying it: Hayden PAN-eh-tier
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Hayden PAN-eh-TEER-air
First stop: Pronouncing Hayden's name right. Next stop: Saving the world.
#9. Idina Menzel
She's a Broadway and movie star with an amazing voice, but you'd be hard-pressed to figure out how to belt her name.
Here's how you say it: Ee-dee-nah Menzel
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Uh-dee-nuh Menzel
Now that you've got it out, it makes John Travolta's pronunciation of her name at an award show all the more hilarious. No, Travolta, her name isn't Uh-dele Duh-zeem.
Here's how you say it: Ee-dee-nah Menzel
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Uh-dee-nuh Menzel
Now that you've got it out, it makes John Travolta's pronunciation of her name at an award show all the more hilarious. No, Travolta, her name isn't Uh-dele Duh-zeem.
Getty Images
#10. Lindsay Lohan
There's something about Lindsay Lohan that keeps her in our
hearts, no matter how many boneheaded moves she makes. Still, we've
realized that for all she's done for us, we've never figured out how to
pronounce her name.
Here's how you say it: Lindsay Lo-han
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Lindsay Low-en
Yup. We're upset too.
Here's how you say it: Lindsay Lo-han
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Lindsay Low-en
Yup. We're upset too.
ROBIN MARCHANT/GETT
#11. Quvenzhane Wallis
Remember her breakout performance in Beasts of the Southern
Wild? Wallis is a badass child actor, but we feel bad that we've never
truly figured out how to pronounce her name. Until now, that is.
Here's how you say it: We won't even venture to guess.
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Kwuh-VEN-jah-nay Wallis
Yeah, she has nine Oscar nominations. And we just managed to get her name right. Sorry, Quvenzhane.
Here's how you say it: We won't even venture to guess.
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Kwuh-VEN-jah-nay Wallis
Yeah, she has nine Oscar nominations. And we just managed to get her name right. Sorry, Quvenzhane.
Reuters
#12. Julianne Hough
This seems to be an easy one, but there's a bit of a hidden trick to pronouncing Julianne's last name.
Here's how you say it: Julie-ann Hue
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Julie-ann Huff
We weren't expecting that, either.
Here's how you say it: Julie-ann Hue
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Julie-ann Huff
We weren't expecting that, either.
IMDb
#13. Saoirse Ronan
This amazing actress has an old Gaelic name, many of which are
super hard to pronounce. She's no different, but we've got it all
sounded out for you.
Here's how you say it: Say-oar-se Ronan
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Seer-sha Ronan
Don't worry, she's probably used to people butchering her name.
Here's how you say it: Say-oar-se Ronan
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Seer-sha Ronan
Don't worry, she's probably used to people butchering her name.
Getty
#14. Rihanna
It seems pretty straight forward, but it actually takes a lot
of work, work, work, work, work, work, work to figure out how to
pronounce her name.
Here's how you say it: Ree-AH-nah
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Ree-ANN-uh
Funnily enough, her real name is Robyn Fenty.
Here's how you say it: Ree-AH-nah
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Ree-ANN-uh
Funnily enough, her real name is Robyn Fenty.
#15. Eva Mendes
She's with Ryan Gosling so she's obviously the luckiest lady in
the world. As it turns out, though, plenty of people mispronounce her
name (despite the fact that it's only three letters).
Here's how you say it: Ee-va Mendes
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Ay-va Mendes
It's the details that make all the difference.
Here's how you say it: Ee-va Mendes
Here's how you're supposed to say it: Ay-va Mendes
It's the details that make all the difference.
IMDb
