Teaching Cortana My Name

levelbest

New member
Jan 26, 2012
46
0
0
Visit site
So, I've gone thru telling Cortana how to say my last name - but she still mispronounces the same last name of my family. Is there anyway to teach her to correctly pronounce my contacts names correctly.

Quite honestly, I don't care so much about everyone else, but it irritates me when I say call Stacey "MY LASTNAME" (my wife) - and she butchers it! :)

If not, add that to the "Wanted Features" list...
 

pLUSpISTOL

New member
Dec 5, 2011
38
0
0
Visit site
I have been using Cortana (US Region on a UK phone) for a long time now and originally she could not pronounce my girlfriend's contact first name.

All I did to "teach" her how was in Cortana Settings I firstly changed my own name to my girlfriend's.
The next step is checking her pronunciation and there is a button to say, "this is not right".
Then you have the option of saying it yourself and she will try and copy you.
If she still cannot say it quite correctly you can press the button which says something like, "this is still not correct".
She then presents the final option to type in the phonetic pronounciation of the name. Hyphens and spaces don't work well so try and stick to typing one word.

Hopefully she says it correctly after these steps. You can verify by backing out and telling her to, "say my name".
Afterwards simply change the name back to your actual name and she will still remember how to say the other name.
You can test this if you have a contact in your phone, just ask to call them and she should repeat their name as you taught her to.

This works for surnames/last names too. Not sure if there is a limit but she has no trouble remembering 5 names I have taught her this way.
 

RumoredNow

New member
Nov 12, 2012
18,134
0
0
Visit site
Or... Just give your wife the nickname, My Wife in inner circle. Much less cumbersome to say, "Call My Wife," as opposed to, "Call Therresa Stankowiczakowak."

Your wife is in your inner circle, right? :winktongue:
 

pLUSpISTOL

New member
Dec 5, 2011
38
0
0
Visit site
Hey man I think you've just forgotten that even if you say "call my wife", Cortana will then say "Okay, calling [wife's name]". Not "calling your wife".
 

JSax1

New member
Jul 10, 2013
11
0
0
Visit site
I have been using Cortana (US Region on a UK phone) for a long time now and originally she could not pronounce my girlfriend's contact first name.

All I did to "teach" her how was in Cortana Settings I firstly changed my own name to my girlfriend's. [...]

Awesome - this worked! So nice hearing my boss's last name being pronounced correctly. It's pronounced exactly as it's spelled (Zablocki) but Cortana would always say "Zah-bloat-ski." I've fixed a few others, as well! They really need to add this to the contact cards, but thanks for the workaround!
 

stickyshocker

New member
Jun 24, 2012
579
0
0
Visit site
Does this way sort town names as well?

Edit: The answer is yes it does but shame there isn't an option to train Cortana to learn words not to have to do it with your name as is a handy hidden feature!
 
Last edited:

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
322,916
Messages
2,242,890
Members
428,004
Latest member
hetb