Almost every TH word in English uses one of two sounds: voiceless /θ/ (think, bath) or voiced /ð/ (this, breathe). But a small group of words breaks the pattern entirely. In Thomas, Thames, Thai, and thyme, the TH is just /t/. The H is silent.
The Rule
When a word entered English from Greek or Hebrew as a proper noun (a name of a person, place, or thing), the TH usually keeps the original /t/ sound. The H was added by old scribes to copy Greek spelling, not to change the pronunciation.
The Words You Need to Know
The Logic Behind It
Latin and Greek used different letters for /t/ and /th/. When these names were borrowed into English, the spelling was preserved but the pronunciation followed local habit. English speakers never learned to distinguish them, so the TH simply collapsed back to /t/.
Watch Out
This is NOT a general rule for all TH words. Most TH words still use /θ/ or /ð/. The /t/ pronunciation is reserved for this specific list of borrowed names. If you are not sure, default to /θ/ as in think.
Common Mistakes
- Saying "Thomas" with the /θ/ from "think" — it should be a plain /t/.
- Saying "thyme" like "time" — that is correct! They are homophones.
- Saying "Anthony" with /θ/ — Americans say /t/, but British speakers often use /θ/.
Remembering this small list helps you sound natural with names you will hear all the time.