How do you pronounce Gotye?

Gotye in the music video for "Somebody That I Used To Know" (2011)
Gotye

Belgian-Australian musician Gotye (pronounced go-tee-yay) has been making headlines lately thanks to the single “Somebody That I Used To Know,” which became a Billboard #1 hit just a few days ago.

So…what’s up with that name?

The name Gotye is an anglicized form of the French name Gaultier (also spelled Gauthier and Gautier).

Gotye was born Wouter De Backer in Belgium. He started going by Walter, the English version of Wouter, when his family moved to Australia. And his mother’s pet name for him, Gaultier, is yet another version the name.

He decided to use Gaultier as his stage name, but instead of using a French spelling, he chose to render it Gotye. (This is similar to the way Irish singers/sisters Enya and Moya Brennan anglicized their names from Eithne and Máire.)

Source: Gotye – Wikipedia
Image: Screenshot of Gotye from the music video for “Somebody That I Used To Know”

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