How you’re actually supposed to pronounce Kamala Harris’ name as she faces Donald Trump in run for president
Ella Scott
Featured Image Credit: Mark Makela/Getty Images/Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images
Despite potential presidential candidate Kamala Harris holding office for over three years, some people claim they still don’t know how to pronounce her name correctly.
Over the weekend, current president of the United States Joe Biden announced he would be stepping down from the 2024 presidential election race against Republican Donald Trump.
After throwing in the towel, the 81-year-old formally endorsed Vice President Harris to become the next leader of the Democratic party.
The 59-year-old is currently seen by many as the frontrunner to replace Biden.
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If she goes on to win the party’s nomination and thus lead the Democrats, then the first female VP will go head-to-head against 78-year-old Trump in November.
Harris, who assumed office in January 2021, has previously acknowledged that some people have difficulty pronouncing her name correctly.
In May 2016, she took the time to remedy this and attempted to educate US citizens by releasing a video.
As part of her #KidsForKamala campaign, Harris employed children to teach supporters how to say her first name.
Hearing it is probably easier than reading it, so watch the official video below:
In the 20-second clip, a group of children run through some of the ways people have pronounced Harris’ name in the past.
One girl claims the politician’s name isn’t pronounced ‘Cameluh’ while a couple of boys reiterate you don’t say it as ‘kuh-mahl-uh’ or ‘karmel-uh’ either.
Instead, the best way to pronounce it is simply ‘comma-la’.
Supporters of the 49th vice president of the United States have recently come out in their droves to slam those still pronouncing Harris’ name wrong after all these years.
American journalist Mark Halperin recently took to X and wrote: “Folks, she’s the Vice President of the United States of America and a human being entitled to respect and dignity. There is ZERO reason to pronounce her name incorrectly.”
A second typed: “Kamala. Not Cam, as in camel. Com, as in comma. They've had three and a half years to learn how to pronounce her name. You'll be able to tell a lot about the people who don't do it correctly. #Harris2024.”
A third admitted they ‘can’t take’ political criticisms seriously if the person they’re speaking doesn’t ‘even know how to pronounce’ the Californian native’s name correctly.
“Someone needs to get Harris and Iman Vellani on camera together explaining the differing pronunciation of ‘Kamala’ as in Ms Marvel and ‘Kamala’ as in the VP,” stated a Marvel fan.
Elsewhere, one X user claimed not being able to pronounce Kamala’s name wasn’t a ‘micro-aggression’.
Instead, they insisted: “Guys I read Kamala’s name for like ten years before I heard it pronounced and had something totally different in my mind so if I f**k it up please do not take it as a microaggression I’m just not smart.”
The 2024 US presidential election is due to take place on November 5, 2024.