Pronunciation

How to pronounce “names

“names” is pronounced /neɪmz/ (NAYMZ) — one syllable.
The sound

Say “names” in one beat

Say it like this

names

/neɪmz/

The voice you hear here is American; a British voice is available in the app's settings.

1 beat
  1. namesneɪmz
IPA (American)
/neɪmz/
IPA (British)
/neɪmz/
Respelling
NAYMZ
Syllables
1 — names
Stress
One syllable, so the whole word carries the beat — say /neɪmz/ in one unbroken piece rather than clipping the vowel.
Part of speech
noun, verb
Difficulty
Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
Meaning

What “names” means

  1. noun

    verbal abuse; a crude substitute for argument

    sticks and stones may break my bones but names can never hurt me

  2. noun

    a language unit by which a person or thing is known

    his name really is George Washington

  3. noun

    a person's reputation

    he wanted to protect his good name

Say it in a sentence

She struggled to remember everyone's names at the party.
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

4 sounds, in the order you say them

Each sound has its own page: where the tongue goes, what it is usually confused with, and words to drill it on.

Questions

names”, answered

How do you pronounce “names”?

“names” is pronounced /neɪmz/ (NAYMZ) — one syllable. It is one unbroken piece — /neɪmz/ — with no pause anywhere inside it.

How many syllables does “names” have?

One, despite the 2 vowel letters in the spelling. The whole word is /neɪmz/ — a single beat.

What does “names” mean?

As a noun: verbal abuse; a crude substitute for argument For example: “sticks and stones may break my bones but names can never hurt me” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.

Where is the stress in “names”?

One syllable, so the whole word carries the beat — say /neɪmz/ in one unbroken piece rather than clipping the vowel.

Practise this word

Now say “names” and see every sound

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