How to Pronounce Names Correctly in AI Audiobooks
Updated September 3, 2026
TL;DR: don't re-take mispronunciations — rule them. In a Studio project, a pronunciation rule maps a word to how it should be said and applies to every chapter. Alias rules (respell it) work on every voice tier; phonetic rules use IPA on Leap Turbo voices. Enter names before you generate chapter one.
Two kinds of rule
| Kind | How it works | Works on |
|---|---|---|
| Alias (respelling) | Replace the word with a spelling the voice reads correctly: "Siobhan" → "Shi-vawn", "Nguyen" → "Win" | Every voice tier |
| Phoneme — IPA | Give the exact pronunciation in IPA | Leap Turbo voices |
If a voice doesn't support a phonetic notation, the rule is skipped rather than breaking the text — so keep an alias rule as the fallback for anything that matters.
Writing a good alias
- Respell by syllable with hyphens: "Ah-KEE-lah".
- Use capitals for the stressed syllable if the voice responds to it; test on a sample.
- For acronyms read as letters, put spaces between them: "A P I".
- For acronyms read as words, respell the word: "NASA" → "Nassa".
- Test each alias on the narrator and on character voices; tiers differ.
Workflow
- Build the list before generatingCharacter and place names, invented words, brands, acronyms, foreign phrases.
- Enter rules in the projectPattern → replacement, kind alias unless you need exact phonetics.
- Generate one chapter and listenFix any misses by editing the rule, not the paragraph.
- Batch the restRules apply to every chapter, every voice, every re-take and every translated edition that keeps the name.
Names in translated editions
Decide per edition whether a name is translated or kept; either way add the edition's own rule. A Mandarin edition of an English novel usually keeps names and needs alias rules for them.
Frequently asked questions
Do rules apply to every voice in the project?
Yes. A rule is per project, not per voice; every narrator and character voice reads it the same way, subject to notation support.
Why did my IPA rule do nothing?
The voice you used doesn't support IPA — only Leap Turbo voices do. Add an alias rule as well; it works everywhere.
Can I export or reuse rules between books?
Not yet as a file. Keep your list in a document and paste it into each new project; a series is best kept as one project anyway.
Will rules change the subtitles?
No. Subtitles are built from the original text, so the name is spelled correctly on screen while the voice says it correctly.
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