They were two distant cousins with the same last name, both politicians who eventually occupied the White House. Rumor had it that Franklin pronounced his surname Rose-a-velt. Theodore said Rooze-ah-velt. So, did the two iconic U.S. Presidents and fifth cousins really pronounce their names differently? No. In 1898, T.R. wrote, “As for my name, it is pronounced as if it were spelled ‘Rose-a-velt.’ That is in three syllables. The first syllable as if it were ‘Rose.’”
However, it was not uncommon for T.R. to hear some creative interpretations of the family name—everything from Ruzy-vell to Ruza-felt. It’s said that the Roosevelt name had 200 different pronunciations.
In his freshman year at Harvard, Theodore wrote to his parents, remarking that one of his professors called him Rusee-felt, and that "hardly anyone can get my name correctly, except as Rosy."
In 1932, Franklin, then Governor of New York, confirmed that the name he shared with Theodore was pronounced “Rose-a-velt.”
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About the Author
Native New Yorker, Darlene Cah is a writer, actor/improvisor, and digital content specialist based in North Carolina. Her short stories have appeared in Smokelong Quarterly, Red Earth Review, Have a NYC (Anthology), Referential Magazine, and other journals. Fiction awards include Soul-Making Keats Literary Competition, Emrys Fiction Prize, Semifinalist ScreenCraft Cinematic Short Story Contest, and more. Advertising awards include Finalist Media Post Awards for email, Honorable Mention Clios, One Shows, and Andys (print). When not writing for INSP, you’ll find her on stage, backstage, or coaching improv for Shakespeare & Friends Theater Company. And, of course, playing fetch with her dog.
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