How to pronounce Stephenson

August 29, 2008 3:14 AM

How does author Neal Stephenson pronounce his last name?

I've always assumed it's like "Steven-son", but recently somebody who might know claimed it's like "Stephan-son."
Anybody know for sure?

posted by spasm to writing & language (11 comments total)

He was introduced as Steven-son at a panel at CES he was on earlier this year. He didn't say it himself, but I'm assuming the moderator checked with him beforehand on the right pronunciation.
posted by olinerd at 4:11 AM on August 29, 2008

STEE-fen-sen
posted by plokent at 4:20 AM on August 29, 2008

Unless Neal Stephenson works for inogolo.com, I'm tipping that plokent's answer is irrelevant.

- Stephen (pronounced STEE-ven) Thomas
posted by flabdablet at 4:30 AM on August 29, 2008

On this April 29 2000 Digital Village Radio Neal Stephenson interview it is pronounced Steven-son.
posted by plokent at 4:34 AM on August 29, 2008

In practice there's usually little or no difference in the pronunciation of the surnames 'Stephenson' and 'Stevenson', although in the first name 'Stephan', the 'ph' sound is a lot more prominent.

So yes, STEE-fen-sen is an acceptable pronunciation, but STEE-ven-son is more common which, given that the earliest recorded spelling of the name is 'Stevenson', probably makes sense.

As to whether the man himself pronounces his name with a 'ph' sound, I've no idea, but it would seem unlikely.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 4:37 AM on August 29, 2008

I met his mom. I used to work in a bookstore in the town where she lived (and still does as far as I know). He graduated from the local high school, and I believe his dad works at the University there.

She came in, and I took a look at her name on the check, said, "You related to Neal?" She got excited and said, "He's my son!"

I told her she needed to have Neal come out and sign books next time he was in town, and she assured me she would (I don't think he ever did). I said, "It was nice meeting you Mrs. Stephenson," and I pronounced it Steve-enson. She didn't correct me.

I also happened to work at the high school in question, and whenever he came up in conversation, former teachers of his, the librarian, etc. It was also always pronounced this way. And ALL of the fans buying his book say it like that.

I know this is not definitive, since I seldom correct people who mispronounce my name (if they seem to be nice), but I'd be willing to take a fairly large bet that this is how he pronounces it, but unless you hear him say it himself you'll never be 100% sure.

Irony here, the high school library didn't have any of his books. When they wanted to do a display of students done good, they had to borrow the books from a student!

I thought the first 100 pages of Snow Crash ruled. I quit sometime in the next 100, and have never read anything else of his. I will someday.
posted by cjorgensen at 7:50 AM on August 29, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

He's about to tour for Anathem so if you got to one of those dates you could ask him yourself. Like others have said, I've seen him introduced as STEE-ven-son and he didn't specify otherwise.
posted by Zed_Lopez at 8:30 AM on August 29, 2008

In practice there's usually little or no difference in the pronunciation of the surnames 'Stephenson' and 'Stevenson', although in the first name 'Stephan', the 'ph' sound is a lot more prominent.

I don't know what either half of this means. In practice there's no difference in the pronunciation of the surnames 'Stephenson' and 'Stevenson,' because the name Stephen is pronounced exactly like Steven (which this Stephen considers a sad example of dumbed-down spelling). As far as I know Stephan is a German name (pronounced SHTEH-fahn); it's doubtless occasionally used in English, but I don't see how it's relevant to the name Stephenson/Stevenson.

So yes, STEE-fen-sen is an acceptable pronunciation

This does not follow from anything you've said and is irrelevant to the question, which is "How does author Neal Stephenson pronounce his last name?"
posted by languagehat at 8:52 AM on August 29, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

I should add that some people who are not named Stephen and apparently do not know anyone named Stephen assume the name is pronounced with an /f/ sound; this is simply wrong, just as if they thought John was pronounced like Joan.
posted by languagehat at 8:54 AM on August 29, 2008

I've met Neal several times and worked on a project for him.

I'm pretty sure it's "STEE-ven-sen" (steven sen).
posted by zippy at 10:38 AM on August 29, 2008

I'm sure I've only heard him say "STEE-ven-sen". The only person I ever heard call themselves "STEE-fen-sen" was Danish (with, one presumes, some English ancestry way back).
posted by Sidhedevil at 12:16 PM on August 29, 2008