"Illname" is a rarely used verb which means to slander or defame someone. Its spelling might seem unusual, but it conforms to the phonetic rules of English. The first syllable "ill" is pronounced with the short "i" sound /ɪ/, as in "fill" or "sit". The second syllable "name" is pronounced with the long "a" sound /eɪ/, as in "fame" or "game". Together, "illname" is pronounced as /ɪlneɪm/. Despite its infrequent usage, the spelling reflects the logical placement of phonetic sounds in English.