Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly blog meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.
This week’s prompt was actually to list 10 of the best character names, but I had a hard time narrowing it down, so I went with 10 names that I think are noteworthy for being difficult to pronounce, a bit strange, or even just because people tend to pronounce them so differently (like the first one on this list, which I feel like people are VERY divided on)!
I used to think I could just check the audiobooks for pronunciations, until I learned that there are many authors who say their narrators don’t pronounce the characters’ names correctly!
1. Rhysand
I know a lot of people will feel me on this one! I thought it was Reese-and from the beginning, but then I kept hearing booktubers say “Rice-and” and it really made me doubt myself! I was relieved when I learned my original pronunciation was how the author says it.
Book/Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses series
2. Rhy Maresh
I read A Darker Shade of Magic after reading the first 2 Court books, and I guess I subconsciously associated the names, because I was saying “Ree” for months before I learned it’s “Rye” (rhymes with “why”)!
Book/Series: Shades of Magic series
3. Laurent of Vere
I’m still a little bit uncertain on this one. Is it like Lauren, but with a “t” at the end, or is it the French pronunciation? (I think the latter!)
Book/Series: Captive Prince trilogy
4. Zélie Adebola
Is it “Zell-ee” or “Zee-lee”?
Book/Series: Legacy of Orïsha series
5. Tarquin
I’m torn on this one: “Tar-kin” or “Tar-kwin”? I always say the first one, but some of my friends say the latter because of the “qui” (like quit, quick, etc).
Book/Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses series
6. Matthias Helvar
I’ve known several people named Matthias in my life, and several of them pronounced it differently, so I’m torn between “Math-ee-us” or “Math-eye-us” (how I usually pronounce it).
Book/Series: Six of Crows series
7. Prince Elian
“Ell-ee-ahn”? “Eel-ee-ahn”? “Eel-ee-uhn”?
Book/Series: To Kill a Kingdom
8. Circe
I have always pronounced it “Sir-say”, but lately I’m hearing a lot of people say “Sir-see” or “Sirs” – popular opinion on this one?
Book/Series: Circe
9. Nomeolvides
This is technically the surname of the women in Wild Beauty, but this is one that I struggle a lot with (partially due to fear of butchering it).
Book/Series: Wild Beauty
10. …?
Okay, I lied. This is more of a Top Nine Tuesday, because I actually couldn’t think of any more names for this one!
How do you pronounce these characters’ names?
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I’m reading Children of Blood and Bone right now and I’ve been saying Zay-lee myself. As for Matthias – I say Mat-ee-us simply because I went to school with a guy who said his name that way and that’s what has stuck with me.
Mat-ee-us is the pronunciation I forgot to put in my list! How could I forget – a friend of mine in high school pronounced his name like that, hah!
I love what you did with this topic. I think its fascinating how one word can be read/ pronounced in so many different ways! I am a strange one when it comes to Rhysand. I pronounce it “Rice-and” or the wrong way yet I pronounce Rhys as “Reese” right from the get go that’s just how I read it. I also am part of the “Tar-kwin” club. 🙂
Thank you! That’s too funny – I feel like I know a lot of people who pronounce Rhysand/Rhys the way you do, with the two different ones.
I am glad to know I am not the only one! 🙂
Names can be such a funny thing! I love it when the author gives us a hint of how to pronounce it within the story.
Me, too! Or pronunciation guides – I LIVE for those lmao!
Ooh interesting! I say math-eye-us and the funny thing is, it probably is something like sir-say or sir-see but i think I initially was saying “serk” in my head. oops!! I also say “rye” for rhy maresh!
Oooh, I haven’t heard “Serk” yet! I could see it, though! 😀
I’m the absolute worst without pronouncing names. I always assumed Matthias was the second pronunciation, but what do I know? Hahaha. Great list! ?
Bahaha thank you, love! You are not alone in struggling with those names, as you can see! ♥
I will forever think Rice-sand when I see his name online. I’m not going to read the books anyway haha. I don’t look up how the authors pronounce the name. Once I’ve had one in my head I can’t get it out haha.
Bahaha understandable! It took me weeks to get used to the correct pronunciation of Rhy after I learned it!
This is wonderful! And as someone with a commonly mispronounced name I feel for these characters ?
Oh my goodness, isn’t that frustrating?! I’m lucky in my name being easy to pronounce, but people constantly misspell it (which surprises me to no end), so I can only imagine!
Great list! I did a similar one this week but I love how you found character arts for your choices. Awesome idea!
Here is my list: https://fantasyraiders.wordpress.com/2018/05/22/top-ten-tuesday-how-do-you-pronounce-it-names/#more-8421
Thank you! I love that we had such similar ideas! 😀
Re: #1 and #2 – this is exactly why we all have trouble with names! Both start with “Rhy” and both are pronounced differently by the authors! XD I’m personally with V. E. Schwab, but I’m also not the type to get bent over pronunciations.
#4 – I listened to the audiobook and it was pronounced Zay-lee. 🙂
Cannot even begin to pronounce the Wild Beauty one. O.o
Lmao exactly! It’s so weird to me how Rhy/Rhys is becoming such a popular name, especially in YA but even in adult fantasy too, but someone told me recently that it’s a super common name in… Scotland, I think? Ireland? One of those two! So that made a little more sense to me once I knew that!
I absolutely love what you did with this topic!! I’ve had the same thoughts as you with almost all of these names lol my partner read Spellslinger and whilst I pronounce Reichis the squirrel cat as (Rye-cuss), he pronounces it (Righteous) lol
Thank you so much! Oh, wow, Spellslinger is on my TBR and that is an interesting one! I personally would go with your pronunciation, that’s how I “heard” it in my head when I first started reading your comment lmao!
It’s so funny sometimes when I read books and come across names that are very unusual – because I totally go through the different ways those names could be pronounced. And usually, I stick with one that’s not correct 🙂 And then, if I listen to the audiobook, I’m all confused.
Great list, Destiny 🙂 Even if you only had nine 😉
Bahahah I feel you! And thank you, Lexxie 😉 <3
I loved the twist that you have put today. I have read two of these books. I pronounce Zélie Adebola as “Zell-ee” myself. And for Prince Elian, I pronounce Eli-aan 🙂
I think authors should put a list of character and places pronunciations at the back of the book 😛
My TTT: http://flippingthruthepages.com/2018/05/ten-diverse-books-of-2018-on-my-tbr-with-character-names-in-the-title/
Thank you so much! OMG, I agree – I freaking love pronunciation guides but they’re so rare haha!
I pronounce Circe just like Cersei (you know, the lannister :D), but Rhy confounded me too!
Yes, like Cersei! Bahaha that’s how I say it!
Wow you picked some unique names, how terrific!! I love the pics you put with the names, very nice!!
Thank you so much! 😀 I wish I could have found fanart for all of them, but at least I got close!
These are hard ones! I just got finished reading To Kill A Kingdom, and I was pronouncing it El-ee-ahn in my head.
It’s funny because that’s how I pronounced it when I was reading it, too! And then, for some reason that I don’t know, I’ve caught myself lately pronounced it “Eel-ee-uhn” – no idea why!
Those fantasy names will get you every time. However, I tend to pronounce most of them as you do. You would think that before doing an audio book, someone would check with the author to assure the pronunciation is correct.
Yessss, you would think! I know if I was the narrator, I’d want to be able to sit down and go through all of the confusing names with the author first, haha.
My brain still stubbornly refuses to recognise Rhy’s name as “Rhy” rather than “Ree”, it just doesn’t feel right to me! I never realise I’m pronouncing a name wrong till I hear someone else say it, and even then, I’m pretty stubborn and refuse to change my ways.
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2018/05/22/top-ten-tuesday-160/
Don’t worry, I still catch myself thinking “ree” sometimes too!
I’m glad I’m not alone! I have tried but once a pronunciation is in my brain, it’s kinda stuck there!
My cousin is called Zélie and it’s pronounced Zay-lee. It’s French.
Ooooh, perfect! Thank you! 😀
Fantasy novels can be the bane of my existence when it comes to names! I was always amused at the way J. K. Rowling worked in the pronunciation of Hermoine’s name.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
Hermione’s is one that I honestly NEVER would have known how to pronounce without the films, honestly! I always remember, as a kid, originally thinking her name was “Her-me-own” lol!
I was confused about Circe for ages! I say it ‘sirs-say’ but who knows! Great list! ?
My TTT: https://lifewithallthebooks.com/2018/05/22/top-ten-tuesday-best-character-names/
Yes, same here! Aww thank you ♥
I love the fan art you chose for all of these! Great idea 🙂
Dani @ The Restricted Section
Thank you so much, Dani! <3
I pronounce Rhysand as Rye-sand but my partner reads it as Reece-and.
Zelie I say “zel-ay”
And Circe I have always said as “Ser-see”
Bahaha, do you and your partner fuss over the pronunciation? 😛 Sometimes Terry will listen to audiobooks while I read the physical one for our buddy reads, and I’ll actually ask him how something is pronounced if I can’t figure it out!
OMG MY MIND IS EXPLODING AT THIS. especially the “reese-and” versus “rice-and” – i’ve always mentally pronounced it as the latter!
I feel like most people do! I always wonder if Sarah ever considered changing the pronunciation to suit the fandom, lmao
Great post, I have no idea how to pronounce Nomeolvides and pronounce Circe as sir-see ?
Bahaha I’m glad I’m not alone on Nomeolvides!
On the Wild Beauty tip, break it down into three words: No me olvides – it’s Spanish for don’t forget me. So it’d be something like no-may-ole-vee-days.
eli @ the (book) supplier
My TTT
OH MY GOSH, you have changed my entire life! Thank you lmao!! ♥
Call it the advantage of living and teaching in a Spanish speaking area. 😉
I love how a lot of names are said in the French way haha it’s easier for me 😉
My top ten: https://abookandacup.wordpress.com/2018/05/22/top-ten-tuesday-les-meilleurs-noms-de-personnages/
Hahaha awww, yay then! That must be helpful 😀
Haha yup
Love your spin on this week’s topic Destiny! I come across this problem a lot actually, especially in fantasy books. The one that really caught my eye here was Circe because I hear soooo many different pronunciations of this one! I personally pronounce it “Sir-See” but when I Googled the correct pronunciation there doesn’t seem to really be one, just a bunch of different ways! I even saw “Kir-Kee” which just doesn’t sound right to me!
Thank you! Kir-kee… I just tried saying that out loud and NOPE, if that one’s right I’ll just sit over here in my wrongness because I do not like that one lmao!
Yes, exactly! I was trying to be all correct with it but I read that pronunciation and I thought NOPE as well. It just doesn’t sound right to me!
the accent being there makes it sound like Zay-Lie in my head – perks of French pronunciation, lmao. and it’s Matt-I-As in the audiobooks! I’d say it like Tar-kin, but that might be Star Wars talking 😉
That’s what I kept thinking on Zelie, too – that the accent probably meant that – so the confirmation makes me feel a lot more confident in that, bahahaha. Thanks! And good to know on Matthias’ name, that one has been bugging the hell out of me since I feel like there are so many “acceptable” pronunciations for it. I also say Tar-kin 😛
ha, I get it. the worst name ever for me to pronounce was Tobias from Divergent. I called him Toby-uss for like four years. why.
TOBY-USS. OH MY GOD I’M LAUGHING OUT LOUD I love it so much!! That one was easy for me only because I grew up on the Animorphs series, and that was one of the main characters’ names!
OH MY GOD. for some reason I think it’s hilarious that we both learned that name from assorted books?? ?
I loved To Kill a Kingdom so much I would love to say Elian is my fav on your list but my fav has to be Zélie Adebola! I’m gonna have to read the Legacy of Orïsha! I love how you include the pronunciation. Great list Destiny!
Thank you, Daniela! I hope you enjoy it if you check it out – and I’m so glad you loved TKAK, too! 😀
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These are all hard to pronounce! Every character’s name from the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas is hard to pronounce. ~ Reet
Haha, they really are! I only learned a couple of days ago from a friend that I’ve been mispronouncing Chaol.