Mario Draghi

You say /ˈmɑːrio ˈdrɑːɡi/ in US English, with the stress on the first syllable of Mario and on the first syllable of Draghi. The name Mario is two syllables: MAH-ree-oh? Actually, many speakers say Ma-REE-oh with primary stress on the first mora. The surname Draghi is DR AH-ghee, with a hard G (as in go) and a long a in the first syllable; the final -ghi is a hard G followed by a short i, as in

Common errors: misplacing stress on the surname (DR A-hee instead of Draghi), mispronouncing the Italian -gli as a soft L or a hard Gless confusion. Correct by stressing the surname on the first syllable: DRAG-hee with a hard G. Also avoid slurring the name into one word; keep two clear name components. Practice the Italian vowels: ‘Ma-REE-o’ with two distinct vowel sounds, and ‘DRAH-gee’ with an open A and a soft G before i. Using the IPA helps maintain accuracy across contexts.

US: /ˈmɑːrio ˈdrɑːɡi/ with non-rhotic tendencies and open back vowel in Mario; UK: /ˈmærɪəʊ ˈdræɡi/ has a more centralized vowel in Mario and a shorter first vowel in Draghi; AU: /ˈmæɹiəʊ ˈdræɡi/ tends to a more rhotic, with slightly trilled or tapped r and broader vowel quality. Focus on the stressed syllables and keep Draghi with a hard G; avoid vowel rounding on Draghi. Vowel quality differences are subtle but noticeable in the first name’s vowels and second’s stress pattern.

The difficulty stems from the Italian surname Draghi, where -gh- is a hard G before i, producing a /ɡ/ sound with a palatal release, and the double-syllable given name Mario in Italian has a quality that may vary by language context. Non-native speakers often misplace stress, mispronounce the final vowel, or apply English -gh- rules. The combination requires care with vowel length and pitch: ensure the two-syllable Mario has balanced stress, and the surname retains the hard G with an audible i vowel.

A unique point is that in Italian-influenced pronunciation, the surname Draghi ends with an /i/ that is shorter and less emphasized than in some English names; the -ghi sequence yields a hard /ɡ/ followed by a short /i/ or /i̯/ depending on speaker. In careful speech you should clearly separate the two names with a slight break, and place primary stress on the first syllable of Draghi (DRAH-gee). This keeps the Italian phonology intact while maintaining recognizability for English listeners.