Ayn Rand

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Today, in 1905, Ayn Rand was born. Here she is on her typewriter, and at home with her husband. I love the big leafy plants and the way the light comes in through those windows. Have you ever struggled with the pronunciation of her name? I have, many times, but this explanation on the Ayn Rand Institute website solves all my problems. Next time you're having an intellectual conversation about The Fountainhead you can show off...

"Ayn" rhymes with "mine."

Excerpt from a letter to a fan, 1937:

Your letter inquiring about the origin of my name has been forwarded to me. In answer to your question, I must say that 'Ayn' is both a real name and an invention. The original of it is a Finnish feminine  name .... Its pronunciation, spelled phonetically, would be: 'I-na.' I do not know what its correct spelling should be in English, but I chose to make it 'Ayn,' eliminating the final 'a.' I pronounce it as the letter 'I' with an 'n' added to it." 

Letters of Ayn Rand, p.40.