How to Write Your Name in Egyptian Hieroglyphs

Have you ever wondered what your name would look like written in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs? The Egyptians developed a sophisticated system for writing foreign names and words phonetically - the same system that helped scholars finally decipher hieroglyphs using the Rosetta Stone.

In this guide, we'll show you how to transliterate your name into hieroglyphs using the uniliteral signs - the alphabet of ancient Egypt. While it won't be a perfect translation (English and ancient Egyptian are very different languages!), you'll create an authentic phonetic representation of your name.

The Egyptian Alphabet

Ancient Egyptian wasn't written with a simple alphabet like English. However, they did have a set of about 24 uniliteral signs - hieroglyphs that represent single consonant sounds. These are the closest thing to an alphabet in the Egyptian writing system.

One important thing to understand: ancient Egyptian didn't write vowels. The hieroglyphic script only recorded consonants, and readers were expected to fill in the vowels from context. This is similar to how some modern languages like Arabic and Hebrew work.

For writing English names, Egyptologists have developed conventions for representing vowel sounds using certain consonant signs. Check out our Hieroglyph Reference page for the complete alphabet chart!

Step-by-Step: Writing Your Name

Step 1: Break Down Your Name

First, break your name into its individual sounds. Focus on how it sounds, not how it's spelled. For example:

• Michael becomes M + I + K + A + L
• Sarah becomes S + A + R + A
• James becomes J + A + M + Z (the 'es' sounds like 'z')
• Elizabeth becomes E + L + I + Z + A + B + E + TH

Step 2: Find the Corresponding Hieroglyphs

Using our Hieroglyph Reference, find the hieroglyph for each sound. Remember:

• Some sounds like 'TH' or 'SH' need to be broken into separate letters
• The same hieroglyph may represent similar sounds (I and E both use the reed)
• Double letters can be written with one or two of the same hieroglyph

Step 3: Arrange Your Hieroglyphs

Hieroglyphs can be written left-to-right, right-to-left, or top-to-bottom! For simplicity, we'll use left-to-right like English. The Egyptians liked to arrange their hieroglyphs in aesthetic blocks, fitting tall and short signs together pleasingly.

Common Letter Equivalents

The Cartouche: A Royal Frame

In ancient Egypt, the names of pharaohs were written inside an oval frame called a cartouche. This symbol represented an eternal rope with no beginning or end, signifying the pharaoh's eternal reign.

While you're probably not royalty, writing your name inside a cartouche is a fun way to present it! The oval shape with a horizontal line at the bottom is instantly recognizable as an Egyptian royal name.

Tips for Better Results

1. Sound it out - Focus on pronunciation, not spelling
2. Keep it simple - Don't overthink complex sounds
3. Be consistent - If a sound appears twice, use the same hieroglyph
4. Practice writing - Hieroglyphs look better when you draw them with confidence
5. Try different arrangements - Experiment with horizontal vs. vertical layouts

Take It Further at ArchaeoHack

Want to build something that helps others write their names in hieroglyphs? That's exactly the kind of project we love at ArchaeoHack! Past participants have created:

• Cartouche generators that automatically convert names to hieroglyphs
• Educational games teaching the hieroglyphic alphabet
• AR apps that overlay your hieroglyphic name on real-world objects
• Personalized hieroglyph art generators

Join us at the next ArchaeoHack and bring the ancient Egyptian alphabet into the digital age!

Want to learn more about how hieroglyphs work? Check out our Introduction to Hieroglyphs and explore our Hieroglyph Reference dictionary.