Learn how to correctly pronounce the names of tech companies and developer platforms — with IPA guides and explanations for 5 commonly mispronounced names.
Tech company pronunciations — quick reference
GitHub /ˈɡɪthʌb/ — "GIT-hub" (hard T, rhymes with "bit-hub")
Heroku /ˈhɛrəkuː/ — "HER-uh-koo" (stress on first syllable)
Vercel /vɜːˈsɛl/ — "ver-SEL" (stress on second syllable, rhymes with "excel")
GitHub = /ˈɡɪthʌb/ — "GIT-hub." Two syllables: GIT-hub. "Git" /ɡɪt/ is the version control system name — one syllable, rhymes with "bit" or "sit." "Hub" /hʌb/ is the English word for a central point — rhymes with "club" or "pub." The T in "git" is a hard /t/, not a soft /θ/ (as in "think"). The word comes from "git" — a British English slang term that Linus Torvalds used humorously when naming the version control system. Put together: GIT-hub. Simple, regular English pronunciation — no silent letters, no irregular vowels.
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How do developers and the company itself pronounce 'Heroku'?
Heroku = /ˈhɛrəkuː/ — "HER-uh-koo." Three syllables: HER-uh-koo, with stress on the first syllable. The name was chosen because it sounds like "haiku" (the Japanese poem form) and "heroic." The first syllable /hɛr/ sounds like "her." The second syllable /ə/ is a reduced schwa. The third syllable /kuː/ sounds like "coo" (as in "coo" the pigeon sound) or the letter "Q." Official Heroku marketing materials and the founder's interviews use "HER-uh-koo." The company was founded in 2007 and acquired by Salesforce. In speech: "We're deploying on Heroku" — sounds like "HER-uh-koo."
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How is 'Vercel' correctly pronounced?
Vercel = /vɜːˈsɛl/ — "ver-SEL." Two syllables: ver-SEL, with stress on the second syllable. The founder Guillermo Rauch (rauchg) and official Vercel materials use this pronunciation. The first syllable /vɜː/ sounds like "ver" (as in "verge" or "verse"). The second syllable /ˈsɛl/ has the main stress and sounds like "sell" (as in "to sell"). Think of it rhyming with "excel" — ex-SEL → ver-SEL. Common mistake: saying "VER-sul" (first syllable stress, like "universal") — but the stress is on the second syllable. Vercel was formerly named ZEIT and rebranded in 2021.
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How is 'Supabase' correctly pronounced?
Supabase = /ˈsuːpəbeɪs/ — "SOO-puh-base." Three syllables: SOO-puh-base. It's a portmanteau of "super" + "base." The first syllable /suː/ sounds like "sue" or "zoo." The second syllable /pə/ is reduced (schwa). The third syllable /beɪs/ sounds like "base" — /eɪ/ diphthong as in "face." In the company's own videos and founder talks, the pronunciation is consistently "SOO-puh-base." It's intuitive once you see the etymology: think of "super-base" with the E dropped: soo-puh-base. In conversation: "We migrated from Firebase to Supabase."
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GitLab, Netlify, and Figma — which set of pronunciations is entirely correct?
GitLab = /ˈɡɪtlæb/ ("GIT-lab"), Netlify = /ˈnɛtlɪfaɪ/ ("NET-luh-fy"), Figma = /ˈfɪɡmə/ ("FIG-muh"). GitLab: same "GIT" as GitHub, then "lab" /læb/ — rhymes with "cab." Two syllables: GIT-lab. Netlify: three syllables — NET-luh-fy. "Net" + "li" (schwa) + "fy" (as in "amplify"). The -ify suffix is standard English. Figma: two syllables — FIG-muh. "Fig" as in the fruit (/fɪɡ/) + "ma" reduced to /mə/. The "g" is hard /ɡ/ — not a soft /dʒ/ as in "gym." All three are straightforward once you see the component words: git+lab, net+lify, fig+ma.