The University of Iowa

Name Pronunciation Help

All students who RSVP attending for a commencement ceremony will be required to provide written name pronunciation information. We ask for this information to ensure the highest likelihood that your name will be pronounced correctly.

When submitting name pronunciation information, please keep the following guidelines in mind:

  • Type information that matches the name you chose (Official or Preferred). For example: If your Official Name is William but you want your name to be announced as Will, make sure you have a Preferred Name (Will) on file. You can add it through the RSVP if needed.
  • Be as succinct as possible. Please try to avoid typing full sentences or "sounds like" information.

Name Pronunciation Examples

Xiaofeng Zhang: She+ow-fung Jong

Nicholas Zhen Yao: Nik-oh-luss JENN YOW

Maria Diaz Jaramillo: Muh-ree-uh Diaz Ha-ruh-MEE-yoh

Recorded Name Pronunciation

Students can also provided a recorded name for the name reader to review in addition to your written pronunciation. If you do not already have a recorded name on file, you can provide one through the RSVP or by going to Name Pronunciation in MyUI.