TL;DR

• Choose wake words that are short, unique, and easy to say.
• Make them feel personal — like calling a friend.
• Account for memory challenges (like ADHD or aging).
• Use repetition, visual cues, and feedback to help users remember.
• Allow personalization where possible to support diverse needs.

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Why Wake Words Matter

You’re in the kitchen, hands full of groceries, and you say, “Hey Siri,” to turn on the lights. Nothing. You try again — still no response. It’s annoying, right?

Now, imagine you’re someone with ADHD or a memory challenge. What if recalling or pronouncing that wake word isn’t so easy? What if the device doesn’t recognize you — not because of poor tech, but because the wake word wasn’t designed with your brain in mind?

That tiny phrase — “Alexa,” “OK Google,” “Hey Lumi” — is the key to unlocking voice tech. But it’s often overlooked in design. Let’s fix that.

First Impressions Count: The Wake Word as a Persona

A wake word isn’t just a switch—it’s the start of a conversation. It shapes how users feel about the assistant. Is it friendly? Robotic? Bossy? Research shows that we often treat voice assistants like people. We assign them personalities, roles, and even relationships [1].

That means the wake word needs to match the brand and feel good to say. “Alexa sounds casual and approachable, while Siri is snappy. Compare that to something generic like “Assistant,” and you can feel the difference.

Pro Tip: Avoid common words that might get triggered by accident. The more distinct and uncommon the wake word, the fewer frustrating false activations you’ll get [2].

Also, consider global users. A wake word that’s easy to pronounce in English might be a tongue-twister elsewhere. Test across accents and languages.

The Memory Challenge: Designing for ADHD, Aging, and Brain Fog

Not everyone finds it easy to recall or say a wake word. People with ADHD, learning differences, or even normal aging can struggle with working memory — the brain’s mental scratchpad [3].

For someone with ADHD, remembering a word on demand can feel like trying to grab a thought in a storm. If the assistant fails to respond, frustration can snowball fast — especially for those with emotional regulation challenges [4].

Older adults also face challenges. As we age, memory and processing speed naturally decline [5]. A complicated wake word can become a daily hurdle.

Solution:

• Keep it simple.
• Choose something familiar.
• Reinforce it with repetition, visuals, and cues.

And is your device part of a product family? Use the same wake word across devices—fewer words to remember = less cognitive load.

What Makes a Great Wake Word?

1. Distinct Sounds (Phonemic Diversity)

A good wake word has a unique mix of sounds — not too similar to everyday words. “Alexa” has six distinct sounds. That makes it easier for humans and machines to pick out [2].

Avoid short, mushy-sounding phrases that could be confused with other speech.

2. Ideal Length (2–3 syllables)

Too short? It gets triggered by mistake. Too long? People forget it or mess it up. The sweet spot? Around three syllables or 6–10 phonemes [2]. Think: “Hey Siri” or “OK Google.”

3. Stress the First Syllable

In English, emphasizing the first syllable (“ALexa”) makes it easier to hear and remember [6]. It stands out in noisy rooms and helps with quick recognition.

4. Easy to Say — For Everyone

Design for people with speech differences, different accents, or kids learning language. If your wake word trips people up, they’ll give up.

Pro Tip: Test your wake word with diverse speakers. If many people mispronounce or dread saying it, try something else.

Helping Users Remember: Memory Boosters That Work

Even a great wakeword needs help sticking. Here’s how to make it memorable:

Repetition

Saying it often = remembering it better. During onboarding, have users say it out loud a few times. Let them hear it spoken back [7].

Pair with Action

Gesture while saying it. Tap a button. Nod. These multi-sensory cues strengthen memory [8].

“Doing something while saying something makes it stick.” — Cognitive psychology 101

Show It Visually

On a screen? Flash the wake word in text. Use a unique light or icon. People remember better when they see and hear [9].

Let Sleep Do Its Job

Yep, sleep helps. If someone practices a wake word today, they’ll recall it better tomorrow [10]. So make early interactions count — get that repetition in!

Think Beyond Words: Context and Feedback Matter

Even the best wake word can fail if users are distracted, mumble, or speak too quietly. Real life is messy.

Design for it:

• Use microphones that adapt to noisy rooms.
• Train your models to recognize common pronunciation variations.
• Use feedback tones, lights, or responses (“Yes?”) to confirm the assistant heard them.

Bonus: Personalized wake word models—ones that learn your voice—can dramatically improve accuracy, especially for people with accents or speech quirks [11].

Final Thoughts: The Wake Word Is Your First Impression

It’s easy to overlook the wake word — just a few syllables. But those syllables set the tone for everything that follows. They invite (or block) the user in. They say: “Yes, I’m listening.”

When wake words are designed with real people in mind — their memory, voice, and emotions — voice tech feels less like a machine and more like a partner.

Design for humans first. The rest will follow.

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Sources

1. A. Purington et al. “Alexa is my new BFF.” CHI EA’ 17. ACM.
2. Picovoice. “Tips for choosing a wake word.” Retrieved 2025.
3. A. D. Baddeley. Annual Review of Psychology, 2012.
4. N. Groves et al. J. of Abnormal Child Psych., 2020.
5. K. Bopp, P. Verhaeghen. J. Gerontology B, 2005.
6. S. Mattys, A. Samuel. J. of Memory and Language, 2000.
7. H. Chen, J. Yang. Frontiers in Psychology, 2020.
8. B. Roberts et al. Psychological Bulletin, 2022.
9. L. Shams, A. Seitz. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 2008.
10. S. Diekelmann, J. Born. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 2010.
11. J. Hwang et al. arXiv:2010.04764, 2020.wakewords