Sports names can be tricky. With big names in Australia and around the world coming from a wide variety of heritages and cultures, we can often misuse the pronunciation.
Here are some of the most famous athletes in Australia and the world with names you’ve probably been saying wrong for a long time.
Daniel Ricciardo has Italian ancestry and an Italian pronunciation of his name
Daniel Ricciardo (Ri-chi-ardo)
This one is confusing because it’s not just fans and commentators who have pronounced the F1 star’s surname as ‘Ri-cardo’, Daniel himself has also been heard saying it that way.
The correct way to pronounce his last name is Ri-chi-ardo and you will see his Italian family pronounce it this way. Interestingly, when Daniel is in front of his family, he will also pronounce it in the traditional Italian way with the ‘i’.
It is likely that over the years he succumbed to saying “Ri-Cardo” to avoid confusion or because he was tired of correcting others.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is commonly referred to as ‘the Greek freak’
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Nigerian: YAHN-nees AH-ded-KOOM-poh) (Greek: AHN-teh-toh-KOOM-poh)
One of the biggest names in the NBA outside of LeBron James is hard to pronounce.
Complicating matters is the fact that Giannis has Nigerian parents who raised him in Greece. That means two pronunciations, the traditional Greek way and the Nigerian way. This is why most people will simply call him by his nickname, the Greek freak.
Manchester United striker Gabriel Jesus
Gabriel Jesus (GAY-bree-uhl JAY-zooss)
When most people in the Western world see Jesus, they pronounce it Jeezuz. For those living in Latin American countries, the “J” often becomes silent for “Hay-zooss.”
The Arsenal and Brazilian striker complicates things with a bit of a fusion pronunciation, keeping the hard consonant ‘j’ while applying the Latin ‘zooss’ at the end.
Former Olympian Jana Pittman also competed in the Winter Olympics
Jana Pittman (Yah-nah Pitt man)
Being unique is nothing out of the ordinary for this Aussie athlete who started out as a hurdler and ended up as a bobsledder at the Winter Olympics. Usually her first name is pronounced with a hard ‘j’ like Jane-uh, Jarn-uh or Jan-uh. Pittman’s is different though, pronounced Yah-nah, like former 60 Minutes journalist Jana Wendt.
Bruno Fernandes has a very unique pronunciation of his name
Bruno Fernandes (BROO-noh Fur-nandsh)
Usually we are used to pronouncing this surname with a ‘fuh’ or ‘huh’ sound. For example, ‘Fuh-nan-dez’ or Huh-nan-dez’. However, this Portuguese name uses the traditional language of grinding the ‘dez’ sound at the end into a ‘dshh’ sound.
Parramatta enforcer Junior Paulo
Junior Paulo (Joo-nee-ah Bar-loh)
There are many complex Polynesian names in the NRL and the average football fan will struggle with names like Tino Fa’asuamaleaui. Commentators have special training sessions to ensure that they not only pronounce Polynesian names correctly, but also conform to the Samoan and Tongan dialects.
One name that many fans thought was locked in was Parramatta prop Junior Paulo, pronounced “Poor-loh.” However, that is incorrect, because in Samoa a capital P is pronounced with a B sound. In addition, his name is pronounced with a ‘Bar’ sound instead of ‘Pau’ which we know from the Anglo-Saxon name Paul.
Young Roosters NRL talent Joseph Sua’ali’i
Joseph Sua’ali’i (Soo-ah-ah-li-ee)
The young giant of the Sydney Roosters has quickly announced himself as an NRL force, but fans and commentators are still getting used to pronouncing his name correctly.
“It’s actually pronounced Joseph Sua’ali’i,” he said.
“It’s kind of like people used to say Papalii, but it’s Papali’i.
“Honestly, I’m not that stressed about it (being pronounced correctly) to be honest, but I would be happy if everyone pronounced it correctly.”
Dane Gagai plays for the Maroons
Dane Gagai (Gug eye)
The veteran of the Queensland Maroons and Australian Kangaroos has been stuck with the phrase ‘Gag-eye’ for most of his career, to this day. However, in the proper Torres Straits dialect it is pronounced ‘Gug-eye’.
Pepe is not pronounced the way you think it is
Pepe (Pep)
We all pronounced Brazil’s all-time top goalscorer Pelé Pel-eh, so it stands to reason that FC Porto’s centre-back Pepe would be pronounced Pep-eh. Except we’re wrong.
It’s just Pep, no “eh” at the end. UEFA officially corrected this in an official pronunciation guide, clearing the air by saying ‘Pepe doesn’t use that second vowel when you pronounce his name in Portuguese’.
Christian Petracca (Pet-rah-cah)
The Melbourne Demons superstar is constantly getting his last name mixed up by commentators and fans who use the Aussie pronunciation ‘Pet-rack-ah’.
Given his Italian heritage, the proper way to say his last name is “Pet-rah-cah.” “For the commentators listening, take note,” he said in an AFL.com.au video.
Nic Naitanui’s name has been mispronounced for years
Nic Naitanui (Nate-a-noo-ee)
The West Coast Eagles ruckman actually let this go for a long time, only correct fans and commentators in 2020. It seemed to make little difference, however, as Aussie still usually pronounced his name as ‘Nic Natter-nui’.
Even commentators have stuck with that pronunciation, although the correct way to pronounce Nic Nat’s name in his native Fiji is “Nic Nate-a-noo-ee.”
Bruce McAvaney’s father was not happy that the family name was mispronounced
Bruce McAvaney (Mac-a-vanny)
It’s not just the players who have their surnames slaughtered, one of the most iconic sports callers in Australian history has had his name mispronounced for decades.
“My dad once said to me, ‘Why don’t you tell everyone we’re McAvaney (pronounced Mac-a-vanny) and not McAvaney (pronounced Mac-a-veiny)?” said the legendary sports channel in 2017.
“I said, ‘Dad, I don’t really care.’ He said, “Oh, I do,” but he’s not with us anymore, dear old daddy, so it’s McAvaney (Mac-a-vanny) but everyone calls me McAvaney (Mac-a-veiny).
“I’ve been called worse.”
Every football player in every country
Correct pronunciation is not something widely embraced by many Aussie. They just gauge how it should be done phonetically and get to work with it.
However, The World Game contains thousands of different languages and dialects, so these names are often pronounced differently in their native language.
Australian commentator Lucy Zelic recently came under fire for having the decency to scrutinize the correct pronunciation of opponents’ names and was quick to clap back at her detractors, saying she was being respectful.
