Are Hanukkah and Chanukah the Same?

Why Are There So Many Ways to Spell Hanukkah (Or Is It Chanukah)? ... According to most sources, the most common spellings are Hanukkah and Chanukah. Such different spellings for the same pronunciation may seem surprising: the initial consonants ch and h usually produce very different sounds in English.

Is Hanukkah and Chanukah the same thing?

The answer is that both are considered correct, though Hanukkah is the most widely used spelling, while Chanukah is more traditional. ... So, when the Hebrew word was transliterated in the 17th century, the ḥet became ch (Chanukah).

Why is Hanukkah sometimes spelled with a CH?

Written in Hebrew, the holiday is spelled, חנוכה. Pronounced with the eighth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, chet, a guttural, throaty sound similar to the "ch" in Johann Brach, according to Chabad. This led to the spelling of the holiday with a "ch" as Chanukah.

James H. Sterling

James H. Sterling

Environmental Science & Climate Journalist

James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.