How to Pronounce Jake Gyllenhaal's Name (We've Been Doing It Wrong All Along)

Summary

• Jake Gyllenhaal is a household name.
• But are we pronouncing his name correctly?
• It turns out that there are two different ways to pronounce it.

The name Jake Gyllenhaal is a kind of top Hollywood brand that makes every project it is attached to more visible and automatically beloved by an army of the actor's fans. Gyllenhaal clearly understands this and is very selective in his choice of roles.

Apple TV+'s legal thriller Presumed Innocent, for example, is Gyllenhaal's first starring role on television. Not surprisingly, the series has become the most-watched drama on the streaming platform even before airing its finale next week. As for film roles, Jake Gyllenhaal approaches them with such professionalism and systematicity that every year we enjoy one or even two premieres centered around him.

So, you've been seeing the name Jake Gyllenhaal on every other movie poster and magazine cover, but are we pronouncing it right? Let's try to find out.

Origin of the Name

Jake Gyllenhaal is Ashkenazi Jewish on his mother's side and English, German and Swedish on his father's side. It is the Swedish roots that gave his father (filmmaker Stephen Gyllenhaal) and Jake his last name.

Gyllenhaal is an ancient noble name that originated in the country in the mid-17th century. Our beloved actor is a descendant of the very first bearer of the name, Nils Gunnarsson Haal, a cavalry officer ennobled in 1652. However, the American branch of the family left the country in the 19th century. So the pronunciation of the surname has changed over time.

Dual Pronunciation

Most likely, you pronounce Jake Gyllenhaal like this - JAYK JILL-IN-HALL. JILL rhymes with 'bill' and HALL rhymes with 'doll'. And this is a valid version that Jake himself uses in multiple interviews and introductions.

But there is also a historically correct version that, as Jake once joked in a chat with Conan O'Brien, is only heard in Sweden and IKEA. If you ever meet the actor in person and want to get his attention, try shouting out the authentic version of his name.

Jake's full name is Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal. And in Sweden, his first name is not pronounced J-CUB as any English or American would say, but YA-COB. As for his last name, it's a little more complicated. In Sweden they say YEE-LEN-HOO-OYL.

Can't wrap your head around it? Listen to Conan O'Brien pronounce it. It's just hilariously perfect.

YA-COB YEE-LEN-HOO-OYL. Once you start pronouncing it correctly, you can’t stop doing it, right?