Ahrefs is pronounced 'ah-h-refs', according to Ahrefs' founder Dmitry Gerasimenko. The 'h' at the start of 'href' is voiced. It's not 'A-href-s', not 'ay-eich-refs', not 'A-H-refs' spelled out. Just 'ah-h-refs', said quickly, like one word.
If you have ever sat in a meeting and quietly stayed silent because three colleagues all said it differently, this is the answer.
Why no one says it the same
The name comes from the HTML `href` attribute used in anchor tags (`<a href="...">`). Everyone in SEO knows what `href` does. Almost no one had to say the word `href` out loud until Ahrefs the company became one of the most used SEO tools in the world. The result is that pronunciation went in three directions at once.
Camp one says 'A-href-s', treating 'a' as a separate letter and 'href' as one syllable. This is the spelling-out pronunciation. It's the most common version in informal conversation.
Camp two says 'ay-eich-refs', spelling out the 'A' and the 'H' separately. This is the version people default to in formal settings because it sounds least wrong if you're worried about being corrected.
Camp three says 'ah-h-refs', which is what the founder uses and the official version. The 'a' is a soft 'ah', the 'h' is voiced, and 'refs' rolls in afterward.
Gerasimenko has confirmed this on company videos and in podcast interviews multiple times. The brand has its own pronunciation guide on the Ahrefs blog clarifying it. The official answer is 'ah-h-refs'.
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Other SEO terms people consistently mispronounce
Since you're here:
- GA4 is just 'gee-ay-four'. Not 'gah-four'.
- GTM (Google Tag Manager) is letters: 'gee-tee-em'.
- HTTPS in conversation is 'aitch-tee-tee-pee-ess' or just 'secure'. Saying 'huttups' is wrong.
- SaaS rhymes with 'sass', one syllable. Not 'sasses', not 'es-ay-ay-es'.
- GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is 'gee-oh', like the geo prefix in 'geography'. Not 'gee-ee-oh'.
- AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is 'ay-ee-oh', three letters.
- LLM is always 'el-el-em'. Never 'lum'.
A note on what Ahrefs actually does
Ahrefs is one of the most established SEO platforms in the market. Built around its proprietary web index, the platform covers backlink analysis, keyword research, rank tracking, site audits, content gap analysis, and a growing set of AI search features. It's used by in-house SEO teams, agencies, and content teams across most of the B2B and ecommerce categories we work with.
For the broader landscape of how Ahrefs fits next to the other major SEO tools (SEMrush, Moz, Sistrix, Screaming Frog) and where the new AI visibility platforms sit, see our roundup of the best SEO tools for B2B companies in 2026.
And if you came here because you were trying not to say 'ay-eich-refs' in a meeting tomorrow: it's 'ah-h-refs'. Go forth confidently.
