How to Write a Name Using Egyptian Hieroglyphs

Use phonetic sounds to write your name in hieroglyphs.

Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs have been admired for centuries but their meanings were a mystery until the middle of the nineteenth century. It took years of linguistic detective work to crack the code of what the symbols mean. It was discovered that sometimes they stand for words and sometimes they stand for sounds. To write your name, you will use the phonetic sounds associated with the hieroglyphs.

Things You'll Need

• Pencil or pen
• Paper (calligraphy paper works well)

Instructions

1. Say your name and listen to the phonetic sounds you hear. Look for these sounds on the hieroglyph chart. For instance, if your name starts wit the letters "ph," you hear an "f" sound. You would use the hieroglyph for "f." If you name contains the letter "c" it will sound like either the letter "s" or the letter "k." For the "ch" sound, use the letter "g" or "j."

2. Find the best approximation you can for the vowel sounds in your name. The ancient Egyptians did not use many vowels in their words. In fact, often the vowels were left out altogether and you just had to know what they were. Many words were made of just consonants. The hieroglyph for "y" can also be used for the sound "ee." The short sound of the letter "e" can be represented by the hieroglyph for "i."

3. Write the hieroglyphs from left to right. Do not use any double letters, such "tt" or "ll." Use the letter just once.

4. If you are a girl, you may want to add the feminine symbol at the end of your name. This symbol was found at the end of the names of female rulers of Egypt. It is not pronounced, but just tells you the name is feminine.

5. Decide if you would like to add a cartouche around your name. Many times, the scribes would add this oval around the names of important people. It was similar to our modern day practice of using a highlighter pen to attract attention to certain words. The cartouche could be just a simple oval, or it could be fancier.

6. Click on the Resource link if you would like help with writing your name. Be aware, however, that the service provided in the link will translate your name letter by letter, not by phonetic sound. It's a little less authentic, but if you have trouble drawing the hieroglyphs, it may be the best option for you.

Resources

• Instant hieroglyph name translation