Having unique names is all fun and games until people say it wrong and you have to correct them repeatedly, but hey, that makes you much more memorable, doesn’t it?
…which is probably why most celebrities have exotic names!
1. Saoirse Ronan
Born in New York City to Irish parents and raised in Dublin, Saoirse probably ranks the highest on the list of celebrities with the most mispronounced and misspelled names.
Her name ‘Saoirse’ is a popular female Irish name in the 20s, pronounced as “Sur-sha.” It means ‘freedom.’
2. Chiwetel Ejiofor
Chiwetel is a British actor and filmmaker. He was a member of the National Youth Theatre as a teenager. Proving the impact that a name has in your career in the entertainment industry, Chiwetel was quoted as saying,
“I was a kid with this funny name. And people were like, ‘It’s going to be quite difficult for you to make any money as an actor.’”
But like we said, it only helps him stand out even more in a sea of Toms, Dicks, and Harrys. And by the way, it is pronounced as “CHOO-it-tell EDGE-ee-oh-for”.
You can catch him in the second installment of Doctor Strange next year!
3. Ioan Gruffudd
Most notable for his work as Richard Reeds in the 2005 American superhero film Fantastic Four, Ioan Gruffudd is a Welsh actor born and is the eldest of his three siblings.
In an interview, he explains that his name is “Welsh for John” and is pronounced, “Yo-an Griffith.”
4. Mia Wasikowska
If you’re a fan of Mia Wasikowska, you’re probably a fan of dark and brooding films that she seems to be drawn to, such as The Devil All the Time, Stoker, and Crimson Peak.
Mia was born and raised in Australia, to a Polish mother and an Australian father who are both photographers. Her last name, Wasikowska, is pronounced as “VUSH-i-KOF-skə.”
5. Zach Galifianakis
Zach is an American actor, comedian, musician, and writer who came to prominence with his Comedy Central Presents special 20 years ago. Since then, he has made big waves in the entertainment industry and starred in the hilarious The Hangover trilogy.
While the pronunciation of his name is pretty straightforward, it can be rather difficult to spell.
If you were a celebrity, what would your stage name be? Let us know in the comments below!
*Cover image via Instagram @ronan.saoirse