How do you pronounce Robert Mueller’s last name?
Asked by
Kardamom (
33285
)
January 15th, 2019
from iPhone
Most of the TV newscasters, and radio news readers I listen to pronounce it as Mull-er (like the hull of a boat).
A few others others pronounce it as Mool-er (like wool).
Some pronounce it as Mule-er (like the pack animal, mule).
And and even smaller number prounounce it as Moo-ler (like a moo cow).
I knew a fellow with that same last name in school, and he and his family pronounced it like the first example.
I have never heard Robert Mueller say his name.
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
19 Answers
Miller
Like the moth or the guy in Canterbury Tales
Like a half horse, half donkey. Mule – er.
Of course, It could be Moo-eller..
Bonus points for anyone who can find a video clip of Robert Mueller saying his last name : )
Er, seems like it would be pronounced:
Müller
to me…
On the radio, everyone is just saying Muller, but if it were up to me, I would expect it to be pronounced Mule-er. However, I assume they know what they’re doing.
“Mule-er” is a pronunciation common for German names with an original umlauted u. (cf. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. No one says Feriis Bull-er). The spelling “ue” is generally how umlauted u’s got rendered into English.
Crazier are names with an original umaulted “o”. I went to school with a girl whose last name was “Hoech”, pronounced like “Hersh”.
@Demosthenes That’s what I would have thought too but as I said, everyone says Muller so maybe it’s become Americanized.
I heard James Comey pronounce it “myou-ler”. Very close to “mule-er”
@zenvelo George Mueller who built the famous orphanage in Bristol pronounced it that way
But I think this name has become Americanized to Mull-er (as in Hull)—seems to be the Associated Press standard. Would be curious how the BBC pronounces it, Then again, Muller is American. Does NPR have a standard for pronunciation?
It is a German name, so it is pronounced the German way.
If he pronounces it differently, then he is wrong.
My mom always called Mueller’s pasta Mull-ers, but I’m thinking that’s incorrect German pronounciation. I assume @Demosthenes is correct that it “should” be mule-er.
I tried to google Mueller saying his own name, and couldn’t find it. However he pronounces it is correct for him, and is how the media should be pronouncing it. It’s like pronouncing Stein, or Wiener. In America some people use the German pronounciation, and some Americanized it.
@ragingloli What is the correct German pronounciation?
@ragingloli Most of us agree but that’s not the way the media are pronouncing it.
The media gets told the pronunciation and they still will screw it up. I’d love to hear the pronounciation out of his own mouth.
Mull-er, same with footballers Gerd & Thomas & the fruit & rice based snack type thingymebob.
The same as Bueller as in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (Bueller, Bueller, Bueller) except with an M.
Ex-CIA director John Brennan, pronounces it Mull-er.
Since the CIA’s primary function is gathering intelligence, it seems that gathering and using the correct pronunciation of Mueller’s name, would be within the limits of their capabilities. ;-)
Answer this question 
This question is in the General Section. Responses must be helpful and on-topic.
Composing members:
0
