Jennifer McGrath: Hello, my name is Jennifer McGrath. This may surprise you because when you look at how my last name is spelled, you might think that it should be pronounced McGrath, and many people do pronounce it that way, but, in fact, the TH at the end is silent. The correct way to say my family name is McGrah, with a drawn-out "ah" at the end, like you've just taken a good refreshing drink of water.

This is the Irish pronunciation. But like most things, names shift and change with time and geography, and that's perfectly fine. In many places, this name is pronounced McGrath as a result of English and American influences. Here, in Atlantic Canada, where I am from, Irish roots and Celtic connections run deep. In fact, if you are traveling through the maritime provinces, especially Newfoundland and Labrador and the Cape Breton region of Nova Scotia, you will almost always hear this name pronounced as McGrah. You'll also hear lots of good music, laughter, stories, and possibly even some Gaelic as well. If you haven't already, I do hope you'll have a chance to come visit sometime. That's my name, Jennifer McGrath.