Q: How can I get voice recognition to spell people’s names correctly?
A: Voice recognition tools are amazing for quickly sending messages or dictating notes, but they can stumble when it comes to unusual or non-phonetic names. If your phone, smart assistant, or dictation software keeps misspelling the names of your friends and family, you can train it to spell their names correctly by using your device’s contacts.
Why Contacts Matter
Most modern voice recognition systems—whether on a smartphone, computer, or in a car—don’t just transcribe sounds into words; they also check your contacts for possible matches. If you have a contact saved with the correct spelling, the system is more likely to use that version instead of guessing. This can save you the constant frustration of having to manually fix names every time you use an unusual name in a message.
Creating or Editing a Contact
Start by opening your device’s Contacts app and searching for the person’s name. If they’re not already in your list, create a new contact and enter their name exactly the way you want it to appear in text. If they are already there but the spelling is wrong, edit the entry. This is especially useful for names with creative spellings, cultural variations, or an uncommon combination of letters.
Add Phonetic Help
Some devices offer a “phonetic name” or “nickname” field. This is where you can type the name the way it sounds. For example, for “Brioni” you could enter “bree-ow-nee” as the phonetic first name. The voice recognition system uses this field as pronunciation guidance, helping it match the spoken name to the correct contact entry.
Using Nicknames or Custom Labels
If your device doesn’t have a dedicated phonetic field, you can still give the system clues. Try creating an additional “nickname or dummy” contact entry in addition to the main contact. You may also be able to use the “notes” section in the contact to store a phonetic spelling—some voice assistants may read this field for context.
Testing Your Changes
Once you’ve updated the contact, test it out. Open your voice assistant or start dictating a text message and speak the name naturally. If the spelling still comes out wrong, try adjusting the phonetic spelling until the system gets it right.
Beyond People’s Names
This approach works for company names, product names, or any word you use often that your device struggles to recognize. By adding any of these non-traditional entries into your contacts, you can improve recognition accuracy for those names as well.
Using your contacts as a training tool can turn voice recognition from an occasional helper into a much more reliable productivity partner—especially if your world is full of names that aren’t in the standard dictionary.
Sync Across All Your Devices
If you use multiple devices, make sure your contacts are synced through your cloud accounts. This ensures your carefully corrected spellings are available everywhere you use voice recognition.
Teach Siri/Google Assistant Pronunciations
You can also teach your assistant how to pronounce a name by saying, “That’s not how you say [name]”. The system will then prompt you for the correct pronunciation and store it for future use. This is especially helpful for names that look straightforward but have unique local or family pronunciations.
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