How do you pronounce Mario?

Correctly.

The same exact way every game pronounces it. The better question is does it bug you when people pronounce it incorrectly? Yes, yes it does.

I can only cut people slack if they use the second pronunciation if they're from Minnesota, New Jersey, or Canada.

I think it’s super weird when people make a huge deal about pronouncing it differently.

I pronounce it the only way it's supposed to be said. The correct way.

Moo-ray-joe

I'm from New Jersey. I had a friend named Mario. We all said Marry-ee o.

I've heard both, both are correct.

The name has two pronunciations and both are right. That being said, the video game character Mario has one correct pronunciation, and it's the first of the two options in the poll.

If Mario never had voice acting in it, I wouldn't think twice about someone saying it like the second option in the poll, as that's a totally valid pronunciation for that name in real life, but we know from the character himself how he pronounces his name.

It's a-me, ________

Yeah if we're talking Nintendo's Mario then the former is correct and the latter is not, that's all there is to it. Sure both are a valid pronunciation for 'Mario' but both are not valid for that particular Mario.

If you came to me with an alternate pronunciation of my own name then I would politely ask you to stop mispronouncing it.

Jumpman.

The way the person whose name it is says it.

I’ve know Mario’s who pronounce it both ways. The video game character clearly says his name a certain way. It’d be shitty, if he were a real person, to mispronounce it on purpose.

Loo-ee-jee.

No italian would say Marry-ee-o

The other pronounciation(s) wouldn't if he didn't say "It's-a me, Mahr-ee-o" right when you boot Mario 64.

2nd option. I'm from Yorkshire, UK if that's relevant.

I know a Mario (Marry-ee-o) so that's how I pronounced the video game characters name. But then I played Mario 64 and he said "Itsa me Mario (Mahr-ee-o)!"

So I said, "Gee, I'm sorry Mario, I've been mispronouncing your name for years."

To which he replied, "Thatsa okay. I like spaghetti!"

Oh Mario(Mahr-ee-o) you loveable half assed stereotype you.

Did that answer the question?

The way Mario pronounces it, just like I pronounce Naruto the way they pronounce it.
I've never heard Epona spoken out by Epona themselves, so I'm not sure about that one.

@geirr: if we're gonna go by that logic, Link's name is one of these: "Hiia!" "Zik!" "Whua!" "Waaaaaah!"

Isn't there an extra "e" sound in that second poll option? Like, Jeff B doesn't say "Marry-ee-oh", he says "Marry-oh".

As for the answer, I pronounce it the first way, but wish I pronounced it the second way as it is far more fun to pronounce it that way. Very good mouthfeel on that second one.

Now I might just be a dog, but I do believe you're missing my logic completely.
I would not mistake someone's sound of anguish for their name.
Besides, Breath of the Wild has many voiced characters addressing him properly.