Barry Keoghan clarifies pronunciation of his surname amid fan debate

Irish actor Barry Keoghan addressed confusion over the pronunciation of his surname during an appearance on BBC Radio One’s Breakfast Show. Host Greg James questioned him after listeners and friends suggested he had been pronouncing it incorrectly. Barry confirmed that the commonly used pronunciation ‘Kee-gan’ is actually wrong, joking that it ‘sounds like an infection,’ and clarified that the traditional Irish pronunciation is closer to ‘Ky-own’, where the ‘g’ is silent. Despite his explanation, fans took to TikTok to point out that Barry himself mispronounces the name, as the majority of those with the surname pronounce it differently. In a lighter moment, Barry also revealed that he watches his nude dance scene in the black comedy thriller ‘Saltburn’ every Monday, underscoring his humour about his acting career. Currently, Barry is filming a Beatles biopic, portraying drummer Ringo Starr alongside Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison. The discussion around the pronunciation highlights both the challenges of anglicising Irish surnames and the actor’s willingness to engage with his audience on social media.