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How Do You Pronounce Raynaud’s?
On top of having to deal with cold hands, people with Raynaud’s must grapple with something else entirely, the confusion around Raynaud’s pronunciation itself.
Ray-NODS? Ray-NODES? Ray-NOH? Another pronunciation entirely? (Spoiler: yes actually!)
I go through phases where I'll say it one way or another, but I'm never fully confident. I usually favor the no-pretense, no-frills “Ray-nods,” putting emphasis equally on both syllables. I've never been sure how you're supposed to say the stupid disease.
The Quest for the Correct Pronunciation
The uncertainty must end! So we here at the Cold Hands Blog went ahead and did some research to unearth the correct answer once and for all.
Step 1: YouTube Research
First stop: YouTube. I pull up pronunciation channel Emma Saying and tilt my ear toward my laptop's speaker. A lady robot blows my mind: “Ray-NOZE.” I listen five more times.
- Ray. Nose.
- Ray noze.
Whoa. I’m pretty sure that was never in my pronunciation rotation. OK, we've got a contender.
Step 2: Johns Hopkins Weighs In
Next stop: a video posted by the prestigious Johns Hopkins Rheumatology Department. A pronunciation guide flashes as the video opens. I can't believe it: “Ray-NOHZ,” it reads. Again!
Well, that was easy. So it’s been Ray-NOHZ all along, I think to myself after four minutes of research. I can feel myself gaining rapid confidence in Ray-NOHZ as the end-all, be-all pronunciation.
After all, it makes a lot of sense. The disease was named after Maurice Raynaud (Ray-NOH) of France. It's HIS disease, in a sense. Ray-NOH’s syndrome. Drop the D sound, that's easy enough to remember.
Step 3: Wait... Did That Doctor Just Say the D?
BUT WAIT!
Now someone is actually talking on the Johns Hopkins video “Raynaud's Phenomenon: What You Should Know.” It's a doctor who sounds like she knows the syndrome inside and out... OMG, is she ... saying the D?! Yes, I'm definitely hearing Ray-NODES.
The mystery is alive! I plunge forward in my research. So many videos ... so many different ways of saying Raynaud's from people who say it all the time...
Step 4: Google Has Thoughts
OK, back to basics. I type “pronounce Raynaud’s” into Google. A box pops up.
Oh no Google didn’t!
| Source | Pronunciation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Emma Saying | Ray-NOZE | Robot voice, but surprisingly clear! |
| Johns Hopkins (on-screen text) | Ray-NOHZ | Matches French origin |
| Johns Hopkins (doctor speaking) | Ray-NODES | Even experts mix it up |
| Google Search | Ray-NAADZ | Basically the same as “Ray-NODS” |
The Great Pronunciation Truce
Our Cold Hands Blog conclusion? We've got ourselves a classic tomato / to-mah-to situation. Who knew Raynaud's pronunciation was so layered?
As for me, I'm leaning toward saying it “Ray-NOHZ” going forward since it's probably the correct-correct version, so why not go with that?
However...
It seems that “Ray-NODS” has been used so consistently and for such a long time that it's become “correct” itself, at least in the U.S. According to Google.
So maybe I’ll stick with Ray-nods? Either way, this whole Raynaud’s pronunciation debate is wild.
How do YOU say it?
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FAQs
Q: Still wondering about Raynaud’s pronunciation?
A: The “official” Raynaud's pronunciation is Ray-NOHZ since the syndrome is named after Dr. Maurice Raynaud of France. But in the U.S., most people (including doctors!) tend to say Ray-NODS. Both are widely accepted today.
Q: Is it wrong to say “Ray-NODS”?
A: Nope! While Ray-NOHZ is truer to the French origin, Ray-NODS has become the dominant American pronunciation. Think of it as one of those tomato / to-mah-to situations, neither one is “wrong.”
Q: Why is there so much confusion about how to say it?
A: Because the word is French, but the condition is discussed mostly in English-speaking medical circles. That means you’ll hear a mix of both pronunciations, even from professionals and advocacy groups.
Q: How do you pronounce “Raynaud’s Phenomenon” or “Raynaud’s Syndrome”?
A: Same first word either way, Ray-NOHZ or Ray-NODS, followed by “Phenomenon” or “Syndrome.” No extra tricks there!
Q: What’s the easiest way to remember it?
A: If you like being “technically correct,” go with Ray-NOHZ. Otherwise, Ray-NODS will do just fine. Either way, your hands deserve warmth and comfort, pronunciation aside.