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Teach Siri to Pronounce Names and Use Nicknames

Apple's digital assistant isn't perfect

By Daniel Nations Daniel Nations Writer University of Texas at Arlington Daniel Nations has been a tech journalist since 1994. His work has appeared in Computer Currents, The Examiner, and other publications. He is a developer who has published apps in the Apple App Store, Google Play marketplace and Amazon Appstore; he also has worked as a data analyst and DB administrator. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on September 11, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email

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Expand Jump to a Section Step-by-Step: Teach Siri to Pronounce a Name Give Yourself a Nickname Give Someone Else a Nickname Play Fun Nickname Pranks Siri does a surprisingly good job at pronouncing names, but it isn't perfect. And neither are we. Sometimes, Siri has such a difficult time figuring out a thick accent that a name becomes completely unrecognizable. If you have a rare or hard-to-pronounce name to begin with, the problem can be compounded. But there are a couple of easy solutions. You can teach Siri how to pronounce a name or you can give a contact a nickname. Here's how. This guide applies to iOS 12+. Can You Change Siri's Name? No, But Here's What You Can Do

How to Teach Siri to Pronounce a Name

When Siri mispronounces a name, immediately tell it, "That's not how you say that." It will ask you to pronounce the name and offer you a choice of pronunciations. As an alternative, you can give a contact a phonetic spelling to help Siri out. Open the Contacts app and select the entry you want to edit. Select Edit at the top of the screen. Scroll to the bottom and select Add Field. You can choose to add a Phonetic First Name, Phonetic Last Name, or Phonetic Middle Name. Once added, spell the name out as it sounds.

How to Give Yourself a Nickname

Having Siri call you by a different name is one of the easiest tasks you can perform. Activate Siri and say, "Call me..." followed by whatever nickname you want to use. The neat part is Siri will update all shared contact lists on the account. So, if you share a contact list with your spouse, your nickname will show up on their contact list as well.

How to Give Someone Else a Nickname

You can give anyone a nickname by adding a nickname field in the Contacts app. This works the same as adding the phonetic spellings: go to Edit > Add Field > Nickname. Once you add a nickname, you can refer to the person by their whole name or their nickname when using Siri to call or text them. Just remember to give them a nickname that is easy to pronounce. There is no "Phonetic Nickname" field.

How to Play Fun Nickname Pranks

The ability to give contacts a nickname opens up some avenues for mischief. The best subjects of these pranks are family members and friends. For example, we wouldn't suggest putting "Ball and Chain" as your spouse's nickname, but yes you can do that. You can even call someone "The Dude Who Owes Me 5 Bucks," which is hilarious when they're standing right beside you. Just remember to say it exactly as it is in the nickname or Siri might think you're trying to pay the person with Apple Pay. Check out our guide to more fun iPhone and iPad pranks. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Change What Siri Calls You How to Hide Contacts on iPhone How to Change Your Name on Google Meet How to Change Your Google Name 20 Ways Siri Can Help You Be More Productive Can You Change Siri's Name? No, But Here's What You Can Do How to Use Siri on iPhone 12 How to Make Siri Mad How to Make Phone Calls With the Apple Watch How to Save Contact Information From an iPhone Email How to Use Apple Watch With Siri How to Use Google Chat How to Use Siri to Play Music How to Delete Any WhatsApp Contact How to Import Outlook Contacts Into Apple Mail How to Find Someone on Facebook Using an Email Address Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies