Pronouncing the Name of the Holiday As we are coming up on High Holidays, it's time once again to explain the correct naming of the holiday Yom Kippur. Studies have shown that how a person pronounces this is an uncanny indicator of their socioeconomic status. For example, a person who own a Geo Metro or Kia normally pronounces it "Yahm Kipp' er" A person who owns a Cadilac normally says "Yohm' KeePoor'" While the driver of the Mercedez Benz says "Merry Christmas"