You've Almost Definitely Been Pronouncing Princess Eugenie's Name Wrong — Here's How To Say It

If people already weren't familiar with Princess Eugenie, one of Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughters, then they're about to be. On Friday, Oct. 12, Princess Eugenie will walk down the aisle of St. George's Chapel at Windsor castle where she will marry her fiancé, Jack Brooksbank. But before she does, you'll want to learn how to actually say "Princess Eugenie" because it is very likely that you've been saying it wrong this entire time.

Princess isn't a hard of a word to pronounce, of course. Little kids are always wishing that they were princes and princess by the time they can walk (because living in a castle is so ideal). But Eugenie is a little bit harder and more unique to pronounce. When most people see her name, they might be quick to pronounce Eugenie like "You-Jean-nie" — like the city, Eugene, Oregon, according to PopSugar — or interpret it as "You-Jane-Nee". But they're oh so wrong.

Eugenie is actually pronounced like "YOO-junnee," according to The Sun, placing an emphasis on the beginning of her name, rather than the middle. It might be a mouthful or take some getting used to, but once you register how to pronounce her name, it becomes much easier to say.

If visuals aren't your thing, you can hear Princess Eugenie's name be pronounced by her interviewer and fiancé in their first televised interview together on the BBC right after their engagement. (Skip ahead to the 13 second mark for the first reference.)

Even Princess Eugenie herself knows that her name is a bit of a mouthful. The royal bride-to-be told The Telegraph in 2008 that the pronunciation of her name has been very difficult for everyone throughout her life, explaining:

Whenever we used to meet foreign people who were struggling with it, my mum and I would help them by saying, "It's like Use Your Knees." But whatever. I am now used to every pronunciation.

Luckily for the people closest to her, they get to call her by her nicknames — "Youj" or "Bouj," according to The Telegraph.

Even Princess Eugenie's mom, Sarah Ferguson, has had to set the record straight about her daughter's name, according to The Sun. So, for the final time, her name is pronounced "YOO-junnee."

Princess Eugenie's name isn't one that her parents came up with based on trends in 1990, the year she was born, according to The Telegraph. Her name is a family name, which makes sense since she is a member of the royal family rich with history and interesting names.

Princess Eugenie is named after Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg — granddaughter of Queen Victoria, who was the reigning monarch throughout the majority of the 1800s until 1901, and the daughter of Princess Beatrice (which makes sense since Princess Eugenie's older sister, Princess Beatrice is named after her), according to Good Housekeeping.

Eugenie was not the popular choice to name the new royal baby at the time, according to Good Housekeeping, so the fact that her parents picked a pretty unconventional name is really special. Princess Eugenie's middle names, Victoria and Helena, also have ties to royalty, according to Good Housekeeping.

And because she is getting married, people should expect Princess Eugenie's name to change, according to Town & Country. Because the Brits love their titles, Princess Eugenie can have the option to take her husband's last name — and it is likely that she will be no longer be known as Princess Eugenie of York. Instead, she could be referred to as HRH Princess Eugenie, Mrs. Jack Brooksbank, according to Town & Country.

Regardless of how Princess Eugenie styles her name after she ties the knot, she isn't dropping the "Eugenie" from it any time soon. And with her royal wedding just days away, now you know how to say it.