How to Say Viewers’ Names on Twitch

You’ve finally given it a shot to become an awesome streamer on Twitch. Your overlays are done, Twitch chat is up and you’re now streaming. But, a new person has entered the chat and there is a little problem. Their username may be a combination of words and numbers and you’re unsure how to pronounce it. So, how do you say a viewer’s name on Twitch?

In this post, I’ve covered 4 things you can do when you encounter a difficult name to pronounce:

4 Tips for Pronouncing Twitch Names

1. Tip 1: Break it down and ask

   Watching a streamer doing their best to pronounce your name can be both a wholesome and a comedic experience to watch as a viewer. You will encounter names that can be multiple words, have numbers everywhere and have the occasional few inappropriate usernames baiting you to say *cough cough* certain words aloud on stream. 

   A great habit to get into is to begin by reading the username carefully in your head first and break down the words in the username to help make it easier when you give their name a go. There is not a 100% guarantee you will always get it right the first time, but do your best to pronounce it and if you’re really unsure, ask them how to pronounce it by spelling it phonetically in chat. This encourages new viewers to engage with you, talk amongst your community, and can leave a fun impression for new viewers that makes them want to come back! 

2. Tip 2: Shorten it!

   Some usernames can be a bit long or just difficult to read at first glance. Another way to engage more with viewers and make it easier for you to talk to them is by shortening their username. This could be by calling them with an easy to distinguish word in their name, an easy to pronounce word in their multiple word username or by excluding the numbers. 

   

   

   The recent example above shows a new awesome viewer coming into the chat in which I did my best to pronounce their name. I still butchered the name, but told them they sound like a dinosaur and I would love to call them ‘Tiki the Dinosaur’. We both had fun and it is a piece that makes it more personal to the viewer!

3. Tip 3: Nicknames

   Having nicknames for viewers is a fantastic and fun way to build up your audience that will come back to your streams not just for your gameplay, but for you as an individual. This helps to build a deeper relationship with your audience as nicknames allow the chat to know that you put the time and effort to remember the nicknames you give to the viewers you love! Nicknames could range from simple shortened usernames to even how you choose to remember some viewers based on a previous stream or comment. It further helps you when some usernames are a little too similar to others and can distinguish one user from another.

   Some examples are from my stream below:

   

   The community knows ‘BaboEsss’ as ‘Ess’ and any new viewers will be able to understand who we are referring to as it’s within their username.

   Be mindful if you are referring to someone by another name, as new viewers may not know who you are talking to and can create a disconnection in the conversation with people feeling left out. 

   

   This viewer is known as ‘diglett’ the Pokémon as I kept thinking of ‘diglett’ every time I saw the name. It has become a fun interaction we have, that sparks great conversation and enjoyment for both parties!

4. Tip 4: Increase viewer engagement with commands

   Most viewers won’t mind you mispronouncing their name and many will find it funny to hear the variations of their names said, and we encourage you to make it a lighthearted experience for both to remember. One way to grasp both new viewers and engage your current community is even adding in a command (below) counting the number of times you have terribly pronounced a user’s name.

   • ‘There have been $(count) mispronounced names KEKW’

Should You Call People Bro on Twitch?

The user base on Twitch has traditionally been male and it is natural for streamers to connect with their viewers using terms like Bro, etc. Despite this, the majority of female viewers don’t mind and may correct them, but there are a few who do. Take the time to reflect and recognise what type of overall culture you would love your channel to be. 

Overall, as you continue to stream, you will build up your skill to quickly read, break down and have fun pronouncing many usernames with new viewers entering your stream. It is important to have fun and make it a positive experience even if it does get a bit confusing how to pronounce a few complicated usernames.