4 syllables: Ze, cha, ri, ah. Stress on ri.
zek-uh-REYE-uh
/zɛkəˈraɪə/
Zechariah is pronounced zek-uh-REYE-uh (/zɛkəˈraɪə/). It has four syllables (Ze-cha-ri-ah), with the stress on "ri". Zechariah is a male given name of Hebrew origin, most famously borne by a biblical prophet. In English contexts it is pronounced with multiple syllables and a stressed second-to-last vowel in many pronunciations, yielding a formal, slightly accented cadence. The name carries historical and religious resonance and is used mainly in religious, academic, and classical references.
nounZechariah is a male given name of Hebrew origin, most famously borne by a biblical prophet. In English contexts it is pronounced with multiple syllables and a stressed second-to-last vowel in many pronunciations, yielding a formal, slightly accented cadence. The name carries historical and religious resonance and is used mainly in religious, academic, and classical references.
- You may flatten the middle syllable into a quick 'kə' or reduce it to a mere schwa; this makes the name sound like Ze-CARE-iah instead of ze-kə-RY-ə. Practice keeping four syllables with a relaxed middle and a crisp second syllable. - Don’t overly elongate the final -iah; end with a light, quick final schwa. - Avoid skipping the secondary stress on the -RY-; this is critical for natural rhythm. To fix, rehearse the sequence with slow pronunciation, then speed up while maintaining the same stress pattern.
"The student read a passage from Zechariah during the seminary lecture."
"A scholarly article discussed Zechariah’s prophecies in the Hebrew Bible."
"The choir performed a chant that included Zechariah’s verses."
Pronounce as zec-uh-RY-uh with primary stress on the second syllable: US/UK/AU IPA: ˌzɛkəˈraɪə. Break it into four syllables: ze- (zɛ) -kə (kə) -rya (raɪ) -h (ə). Start with a light Z sound, a schwa after, and a clearly stressed /raɪ/ before a final relaxed /ə/. You can listen to native readings on Pronounce or Forvo for audio reference.
Common errors: 1) Dropping the middle schwa leading to zeh-CRY-ah with misplaced stress; 2) Misplacing stress on the first syllable (ZE-uh-CRY-uh) or the last (ze-KAR-i-ah). Correction: keep secondary syllable unstressed with a clear four-syllable rhythm, and place primary stress on the second syllable: ze-kə-RY-ə. Practice alternating with minimal pairs to feel the rhythm.
US/UK/AU share the core ˌzɛkəˈraɪə, but vowel qualities shift slightly. US often features a broader /æ/ or /ɛ/ in the first syllable and a more open /aɪ/ diphthong in -riah. UK and AU may maintain a slightly crisper consonant onset and more pronounced schwa in the second syllable. Rhoticity is generally non-rhotic in British variants but US speakers may perceive a subtle rhotic ending in connected speech; keep final -iah as a light, unstressed /ə/.
The difficulty stems from the Hebrew-derived sequence -kə-RAI-ə with a strong secondary stress on -RAI-, and the long diphthong /raɪ/ that contrasts with the surrounding schwas. Learners often misplace stress, or reduce the second syllable too much, producing ze-CARE-ee-uh or ze-KAR-ee-uh. Maintaining four clear syllables with the secondary stress and a distinct /raɪ/ vowel is essential, as is edge-clipping in faster speech.
A unique aspect is the combination of a light initial consonant cluster (Z) followed by a soft schwa, then a prominent /raɪ/ vowel cluster. Pay attention to not converting -riah into -ree-uh or -ray-uh. The rhythm should feel like ze-kə-RY-ə, with the primary stress on RY. Watching Bible readings or sermons can help you hear the subtle pacing and formal cadence associated with the name.
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- US: you’ll hear a more pronounced /æ/ or /ɛ/ in the first vowel and a flatter /ə/ in the middle; the -a- in -riah reads as /raɪ/. - UK: tend to keep a crisper onset and slightly tighter final vowel; the /ɪə/ in some readings might be heard as /iə/ depending on speaker. - AU: similar to UK but with a tendency toward broader vowel sounds and a more open /ɐ/ in some speakers. IPA references: US / ˌzɛkəˈraɪə /, UK / ˌzɛkəˈraɪə /, AU / ˌzɛkəˈraɪə /. - Focus on clear four-syllable rhythm, and avoid reducing the -iy- into a single syllable.
Zechariah derives from the Hebrew name זְכַרְיָה (Zekharyah, or Zikaryah) meaning “Yahweh has remembered” or “Yahweh remembers.” The element Zekh- corresponds to the divine name Yahweh, with -aryah forming a common theophoric suffix in prophetic names. In Greek, it is rendered Ζαχαρίας (Zacharias) and in Latin as Zacharias, influencing English spellings. The King James Bible popularized the form Zechariah, though Zacharias and Zachariah are encountered in scholarly and liturgical usage. First known English occurrence appears in early modern religious texts, with the form Zechariah stabilizing in English translations by the 16th century. Over time, variants reflect transliteration choices from Hebrew and Greek, while the pronunciation shifted in English-speaking communities to accommodate multisyllabic Hebrew phonology and English stress patterns. The name conveys a solemn, ceremonial tone in liturgical contexts, and remains common in religious settings and among communities with ties to biblical prophecy. In contemporary usage, Zechariah persists primarily as a formal given name, often associated with historical or biblical framing rather than everyday conversation.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Zechariah" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Zechariah"
-iah sounds
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