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Jacques Bailly

b. 1966

Pronouncer of the National Spelling Bee

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About Jacques Bailly

Born 1966. Jacques Bailly is an American and French classical scholar and classical philologist.

Jacques A. Bailly (born January 28, 1966) is an American professor. He was the 1980 Scripps National Spelling Bee champion and has served as the Scripps National Spelling Bee's official pronouncer since 2003.

Biography Bailly was born in 1966 and grew up in the Denver, Colorado, area. He began participating in spelling bees in sixth grade, training with a nun at his Catholic school. Bailly studied Ancient Greek and Latin, receiving his bachelor's degree from Brown University in classics and his Ph.D. from Cornell University. He learned German in Switzerland with the help of a Fulbright scholarship. Bailly became the Bee's chief pronouncer after Alex Cameron died in 2003. Bailly portrayed himself in the 2006 film Akeelah and the Bee, which focuses on a girl who competes in the National Spelling Bee.

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Important facts

Born
1966, Utah
Birth century
Nationality
Education
Brown University, Cornell University
Awards
Fulbright Scholarship
Also known as
Jacques A. Bailly

People in Jacques Bailly's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Jacques Bailly's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Jacques Bailly?

pronouncer of the National Spelling Bee

When was Jacques Bailly born?

Jacques Bailly was born in 1966 in Utah.

What is Jacques Bailly's occupation?

Jacques Bailly is a classical scholar and classical philologist.

What nationality is Jacques Bailly?

Jacques Bailly is American and French.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Jacques Bailly

· Wikidata: Q6120407

· DBpedia: Jacques Bailly

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jacques Bailly. https://biography.guide/jacques-bailly/

MLA: "Jacques Bailly." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jacques-bailly/.

Chicago: "Jacques Bailly." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jacques-bailly/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-23 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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