Tired of your Alexa Device not pronouncing your name correctly? In this guide, we show you how you can make your Alexa device pronounce your name the right way.
A few ways to get Alexa to pronounce your name correctly are by changing the spelling of your name or by changing the SSML markup for your name. You can also try uploading an audio file of your name to get Alexa to pronounce your name correctly.
Amazon’s virtual voice assistant is capable of countless things. However, as proficient Alexa is at carrying out your voice commands and performing your tasks for you, the voice-controlled assistant has a few minor setbacks, and mispronouncing your name could be one of them.
In this guide, we’ll show you how can you get Alexa to pronounce your name correctly! Head over to the next section and choose from any of the 3 methods discussed to get your assistant to pronounce your name correctly.
How to Get Alexa to Pronounce My Name Correctly?
Amazon’s Alexa is an outstanding home assistant designed to cater to your needs. So when your assistant starts mispronouncing your name, it can get a little frustrating. That is why we’ve listed 3 methods below that could help you in getting your assistant to pronounce your name correctly.
Method #1: Change the Spelling of Your Name
Changing the spelling of your name is the first and the simplest way to get Alexa to pronounce your name correctly. For this, you’ll need to go to the “Communicate” settings and type in the phonetic spelling of your name. Below are a couple of steps that will help you out in doing so. (1)
- Open the Alexa app on your smartphone
- Select “Communicate”, which can be found at the bottom of the screen
- Now head over to your profile; your profile icon will look like a little person
- Click on your name
- Under your name, go to the “My Communication Settings”
- Click on “Edit”
- Change your name and enter the phonetic spelling
Method #2: Change the SSML Markup for Your Name
Changing the SSML Markup for your name can be a bit complex, but it is more accurate than the first method. SSML or speech synthesis markup language lets you control how Alexa speaks and adds many speech effects to Alexa’s voice! (2)
You can change the way Alexa pronounces your name by using the SSML <phoneme> tag. This tag utilizes IPA, International Phonetic Alphabet, to control how a word should sound. You’ll need to command Alexa to use your name’s IPA spelling for your name’s pronunciation. You can enter your name’s IPA spelling, confirm it, and let Alexa do the rest of the work!
Method #3: Upload an Audio File of Your Name
The last method to get Alexa to do what you want is to upload an audio file of your name’s pronunciation. You’ll need to use playback for this method – an audio file that can be uploaded into the system. Once you upload your name’s audio file, your voice assistant will be able to imitate it. You can carry out this process by using Alexa’s Skills Kit.
Important Note: This method will work fine as long as the quality of your audio file is decent and you’re okay with the voice that narrates your name.
Wrapping Up
Amazon’s voice assistant Alexa has a lot to offer. We wouldn’t want anything to come in the way of your whole Alexa experience, especially not Alexa mispronouncing your name, of all things!
That is why the methods discussed above are handpicked and some of the easiest you’ll find on the internet. We hope you found this short guide informative and it helped you correct your name’s pronunciation. Feel free to share this article with your friends and family if they’re facing similar issues.
Take a look at some of our related articles below.
- How to change Alexa voice to Morgan Freeman
- How to change Alexa name to Jarvis
- How to turn off explicit filter on Alexa
References
(1) phonetic spelling – https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-phonetic-spelling-definition-examples.html
(2) speech synthesis – https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/computer-science/speech-synthesis
Video References
Video 1: Max Dalton
Video 2: Alexa Developers