How to Pronounce Pecan Correctly, According to Pecan Farmers (2024)

Food
Popular Ingredients

How do you pronounce pecan—“puh-CON” or “PEA-can”? See what the experts say.

Betty Gold

Betty Gold is the former senior digital food editor at Real Simple.

Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines

Updated on October 31, 2023

To achieve a peaceful, harmonious family get-together and avoid arguments, we're advised not to bring up politics or religion. While those may be taboo topics at the dinner table, we're here to arm you with a worthwhile drama-free debate to chime in with before anything (or anyone) gets hurt: What is the proper way to pronounce the word "pecan"?

According to Alex Ott, executive director of the American Pecan Council, ...'puh-CON' vs. 'PEA-can' is one debate you can safely bring up with family and friends. "Even across the 15 pecan-growing states, from California to the Carolinas, growers and shellers themselves say it differently ... But no matter how you say it, we can all agree that pecans belong on every Thanksgiving table."

Let's dig in and learn more about the word, plus the most popular pecan pronunciation.

Origin

The word pecan is derived from the Indigenous Algonquin word "pakani," which then evolved to "pacane." It was first used in 1761 to describe the tree grown for its edible nut. Given the range of dialects, there are various ways people across the U.S. pronounce pecan, including "puh-CON," "PEA-can," and other variations.

Common Pronunciations

While there are numerous ways to pronounce pecan, there are a few variations that are more popular than others. Here are the most common ways pecan is pronounced:

pee-KAHN: This seems to be the most popular pecan pronunciation nationwide.
puh-CON (or puh-KAHN): A variation on the above pronunciation that's used in southern areas of the U.S. like Alabama and the Carolinas.
PEA-can (or PEE-can): This pronunciation is favored in New England and areas of the eastern coast of the U.S.
PEE-kahn: Midwest areas of the country tend to prefer this pronunciation, particularly places like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota.
pick-AHN: A hybrid of other pronunciations, this one is prevalent in the southern U.S., notably in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oklahoma.
PIC-ann: Not many places list this as a pecan pronunciation, but it does seem to be another hybrid form of pronouncing the nut's name.

What the Public Says

People have strong feelings about how to pronounce pecan. Some claim it's a regional preference, pitting U.S. southerners vs. northerners.

What Experts Say

We went directly to the source and polled pecan experts from the "pecan belt" states to get their hot take. The result? Agree to disagree, folks.

01of 06

Honoring Family Traditions

One pecan farmer shares how their family was taught to pronounce pecan and how the family's words live on through five generations (and counting).

Angie Ellis, Pecan Grower in Vienna, Georgia

"As many of our ancestors were part of the education system, the tradition of the pronunciation has been handed down as follows: Puh-CONS are a gift from above; a PEA-can is a porcelain pot you place under the bed. Our fifth generation is now born and will be taught as we were all taught. However, we sometimes modify our response and say that we grow PEA-cans, but we sell puh-CONS."

—Angie Ellis, Pecan Grower in Vienna, Georgia

02of 06

Letting Cost Decide

This professor was given a humorous take on deciding how to pronounce pecan by a fellow pecan grower.

Lenny Wells, Professor of Horticulture and Extension Horticulture Specialist for Pecans at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia

"The best response I ever heard to this question came from another grower who told me, 'When they bring $2 per pound or more, they're puh-CONS; when they bring $0.50 to $1, they're PEA-cans.'"

—Lenny Wells, Professor of Horticulture and Extension Horticulture Specialist for Pecans at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia

03of 06

Comparing the Public vs. Growers

The pecan pronunciation debate exists even within the pecan farming community. This pecan farmer shares a colleague's answer to the question.

Larry Willson, Pecan Grower in Albany, Georgia

"There are two answers I give when asked how to pronounce pecan: one silly and one more serious. The silly answer is that we don't care how you pronounce it as long as you buy them! The serious answer is different.

Shortly after I came back to my family's pecan business, about 40 years ago, I was at a Southeastern Pecan Growers meeting in Sandestin, Florida. During the co*cktail party, I asked Felix Marbury, a lion in the industry and a contemporary of my father, how he pronounced pecan. I remember his answer to this day. He said, 'Son, most people say PEA-can, but us growers say puh-CON.'"

—Larry Willson, Pecan Grower in Albany, Georgia

04of 06

Observing the Indigenous Pronunciation

A pecan grower in the south explains why they pronounce it "puh-CON" in honor of the original Indigenous pronunciation.

Kortney Chase, Pecan Grower and Sheller in San Saba, Texas

"Everyone here in my pecan world pronounces it puh-CON, as the Native Americans did. They were the first to name our beloved nut."

—Kortney Chase, Pecan Grower and Sheller in San Saba, Texas

05of 06

Avoiding Confusion

This may be an easy way to settle the debate and ensure no one confuses the pecan nut with a chamber pot.

Dan Zedan, Pecan Sheller in Wayne, Illinois

"It's puh-CON. A PEA-can is something my mother used to put under her bed as a child before going to sleep."

—Dan Zedan, Pecan Sheller in Wayne, Illinois

06of 06

Accepting Various Pronunciations

Is it necessary to settle on one official pecan pronunciation? This farmer thinks it's fine either way.

John Heuler, Pecan Grower in Bowie, Arizona

"Where I was from in the western part of the U.S., we always pronounced it puh-CON, and the nice farmers from Georgia would have that southern twang to it—PEA-can. Either way, they are just the best."

—John Heuler, Pecan Grower in Bowie, Arizona

21 Pecan Recipes That Are Sweet, Savory, and Everything In Between

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Tell us why!

Sources

Real Simple is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts in our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy.

National Pecan Shellers Association. (2018, January 24). Misperceptions about pecans range from health benefits to tree nut’s pronunciation. ILovePecans. https://ilovepecans.org/misperceptions-about-pecans-range-from-health-benefits-to-tree-nuts-pronunciation
American Pecan Council. (2022, August 5). Pecans 101: American pecans. American Pecans. https://americanpecan.com/pecans-101