You’ve heard it in classrooms, during awards ceremonies, and definitely in that one song from the musical Rent. But here’s the thing: most people are getting it wrong.
When you ask how do you say maya angelou, you usually get one of two answers. Some people swear it rhymes with "blue." Others are certain it ends like the word "low." If you’ve been saying "An-juh-loo" your whole life, don't feel too bad. Even major media outlets and professional announcers have tripped over those seven letters for decades.
Honestly, the confusion is understandable. The spelling is a bit of a curveball. But for a woman who once famously told a young interviewer, "I’m Miss Angelou," getting the sounds right is the bare minimum of respect we can offer her legacy.
The Right Way to Say It (No, Really)
Let’s just rip the Band-Aid off. The correct pronunciation is MY-uh AN-juh-loh.
That last syllable is the kicker. It doesn't rhyme with "kangaroo" or "vindaloo." It rhymes with "hello" or "go."
- Maya: Pronounced MY-uh. (Rhymes with "hi-ya").
- Angelou: Pronounced AN-juh-loh. (The "An" is like the name Ann, and the ending is a soft "low").
If you need a mental shortcut, just think of the word "Angelo" (like the Italian name) but with a slightly different emphasis. It’s a three-syllable dance: AN-juh-loh.
Why Does Everyone Say "An-juh-loo"?
We can mostly blame pop culture and phonetics for the mix-up. In the musical Rent, the song "La Vie Bohème" famously name-checks the poet. The lyrics rhyme her name with "curry vindaloo." It’s a catchy line, but it's linguistically inaccurate. Because that song became a generational touchstone, a whole lot of theater kids (and everyone they know) grew up with the wrong sound in their heads.
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There’s also the "ou" ending. In English and French, "ou" often makes a "ooh" sound—think soup, you, or rendezvous. It's a natural instinct to see "Angelou" and let your voice slide into that long "u" sound.
But Maya Angelou didn't inherit this name from a French ancestor or a British lineage. It was a name she chose, a professional rebranding that stuck.
The Story Behind the Name
Maya Angelou wasn't born Maya Angelou. She entered the world in 1928 as Marguerite Annie Johnson.
The "Maya" part came from her brother, Bailey Jr. When they were kids, he called her "My" or "Mya," short for "My sister." It was a term of endearment that eventually became her identity.
The "Angelou" part has a bit more drama. In the early 1950s, she married a Greek sailor named Tosh Angelos. When she started performing as a calypso dancer and singer at the Purple Onion in San Francisco, her managers thought "Marguerite Johnson" didn't have enough flair for the stage. They suggested she use a variation of her husband’s surname. She tweaked "Angelos" to "Angelou," combined it with her childhood nickname, and a legend was born.
Even though the marriage to Tosh didn't last, the name did. It sounded distinctive, elegant, and—crucially—it was hers.
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Does the Pronunciation Actually Matter?
You might think, "It’s just a vowel sound, is it really that big of a deal?"
To Maya Angelou, it was. She was a woman who understood the weight of words better than almost anyone. There’s a famous clip from a 1990 interview where a young woman in the audience asks a question and calls her "Maya."
Angelou stopped her immediately.
"I'm not 'Maya,'" she said, with a level of gravity that could stop a heart. "I’m 62 years old. I’ve lived so long and tried so hard that a young woman like you... has no license to come up to me and call me by my first name."
She wasn't being mean; she was teaching a lesson about dignity. In the Jim Crow South where she grew up, Black women were rarely afforded the courtesy of "Miss" or "Mrs." by the white establishment. Being called by your first name was often a tool of infantilization. For her, the name "Miss Angelou" was a hard-won shield. If the name itself mattered that much, you can bet the way it’s spoken matters too.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- The "May-uh" Trap: Some people pronounce Maya as "May-uh" (rhyming with "player"). This is usually a regional accent thing, but it’s not how she said it. It’s "My-uh."
- The "An-gel-loo" Ending: As we've established, this is the most common error. It’s "loh," not "loo."
- Emphasis on the Wrong Syllable: Don't say "an-JEL-oh." Keep the stress on the first syllable: AN-juh-loh.
How to Practice
If you’ve been saying it wrong for twenty years, your tongue has muscle memory. You have to break it.
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Try saying "The Angel oh" quickly.
- The Angel...
- ...oh.
- Angel-oh.
Listen to recordings of her speaking. If you pull up her 1993 inaugural poem, "On the Pulse of Morning," or any of her various NPR interviews, you’ll hear her say it herself. Her voice was like honey-soaked gravel—deep, resonant, and very precise. She didn't mumble her identity.
Actionable Tips for Getting it Right
If you're a teacher, a public speaker, or just someone who wants to be linguistically accurate, here's how to handle it:
- Check the IPA: If you’re a linguistics nerd, the International Phonetic Alphabet spelling is
/ˈmaɪə ˈændʒəloʊ/. - Correct others gently: If you hear a friend say "An-juh-loo," you don't have to be a jerk about it. Just use the correct pronunciation in your next sentence. Most people will catch on.
- Context matters: If you're introducing her at an event or reading her poetry aloud, take five seconds to whisper "An-juh-loh" to yourself beforehand.
The goal isn't just to be a "correct" person. It's about recognizing that a person's name is the most important sound in any language to them. When we say how do you say maya angelou, we're really asking how to properly honor one of the greatest literary minds in American history.
Stop rhyming her name with "blue." Start giving it the "oh" it deserves. It’s a small change, but it’s one that respects the woman who told us exactly who she was.
Next Steps for You
- Watch her speak: Go to YouTube and search for "Maya Angelou 1990 interview." Watch the way she carries herself and listen to the rhythm of her speech.
- Read the autobiography: If you haven't read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, go get a copy. It provides the essential context for why her name—and the respect attached to it—meant everything to her.
- Practice the "loh": Say it out loud three times right now. Maya Angeloh. Maya Angeloh. Maya Angeloh. Your brain will thank you later.