The Scripps 2024 National Spelling Bee finalists revealed (2024)

The nation's best young spellers are set to square off in a cutthroat competition to be crowned the brainiest student in America.

The annual Scripps National Spelling Bee, held this year in Baltimore, began this week with 148 kids aged eight to 15 taking the stage, before eight do-or-die rounds of spelling left just eight for Thursday's final.

Over six million people tuned in to watch the competition in 2023, where this year's favoriteShradha Rachamreddy, 14, came in third place - before her shock elimination on Wednesdayafter misspelling 'varan' - a type of lizard.

With the front runner eliminated, here are the finalists hoping to take home the title of America's best speller - and a $50,000 prize.

Almost 150 students took part in this year's event, but after eight rounds of spelling saw talents such as Achyut Ethiraj, 14, (pictured) eliminated - just eight remain

Rishabh Saha, 14

An eight-grader from Merced, California, Rishabh is not only a top wordsmith but is also a talented musician.

He can fluently play a number of instruments including piano, tuba, sousaphone, bells and euphonium, and in his spare time, he says he 'frequently dives into dictionaries to find new words to use.'

The 14-year-old advanced to the final by correctly spelling the word 'daler' - a Danish or Swedish dollar.

Shrey Parikh, 12

Shrey tied for 89th place in 2022, but is back for glory this time around after correctly spelling 'alstonine' - an alkaloidfound in the bark of a tree - in the semifinal.

He hails from San Bernadino, California, and outside of spelling says he likesplaying tennis, reading mystery and fiction books, solving math problems and playing chess.

Shrey Parikh, 12, made it to the finalafter correctly spelling 'alstonine' - an alkaloid found in the bark of a tree

Aditi Muthukumar, 13

From Denver, Colorado, Aditi made it to Thursday's final by spelling perhaps the toughest word of all the finalists, 'myrmecoxene' - which refers to a symphile, a tiny insect.

She previously tied for 74th last year, and says that despite her talent for spelling words most have never heard of, her favorite word is 'cat.'

Aditi Muthukumar, 13,made it to Thursday's final by spelling perhaps the toughest word of all the finalists, 'myrmecoxene' - which refers to a symphile, a tiny insect

Bruhat Soma, 12

An avid basketball player, Bruhat, from St, Petersburg, Florida, says he has a passion for sports only rivalled by his love of letters.

The seventh grader made it through to the final by correctly spelling the word 'cricetine' - another word for the hamster family of rodents.

Bruhat Soma, 12,made it through to the final by correctly spelling the word 'cricetine' - another word for the hamster family of rodents

YY Liang, 12

A nationally ranked junior tennis player, YY, from New Windsor, New York, is among the favorites to take home this year's crown.

She was given a word many would be tripped up on to make it to the final, 'pinguin' - a type of tropical plant, not the lovable black and white birds.

YY Liang, 12, made it to the final by correctly spelling'pinguin' - a type of tropical plant, not the lovable black and white birds

Anaya Rao Prassanna, 13

From Charlotte, North Carolina, Anaya has competed for the last two years, but has previously never made it further than 49th place.

She is sponsored in the competition by the Carolina Panthers - and made it to the final by spelling the word 'rusa', a type of Indonesian deer.

Anaya Rao Prassanna, 13,made it to the final by spelling the word 'rusa' - a type of Indonesian deer

Faizan Zaki, 12

A sixth grader from Dallas Texas, Faizan made it all the way to the semifinals last year, and has been a part of the spelling competition community since he was seven.

He also has a talent for speed-solving Rubik's Cubes and learning new languages, and is in the final after spelling the word 'morlop' correctly - a variety of mineral found in Australia.

Faizan Zaki, 12,is in the final after spelling the word 'morlop' - a variety of mineral found in Australia

Kirsten Santos, 13, made it to the final bycorrectly spelled 'scire facias' - a type of legal document

Kirsten Santos, 13

From Houston, Texas, Kirsten was almost crowned national champion in 2022 when she finished in a tie for fifth place.

She describes herself as a news junkie and is a talented violinist.

In the semifinals, the 13-year-old correctly spelled 'scire facias' - a legal document that forces people to prove why actions in court should not be enforced, annulled, or vacated.

The Scripps 2024 National Spelling Bee finalists revealed (2024)

FAQs

Who won Scripps National Spelling Bee in 2024? ›

Bruhat Soma wins the National Spelling Bee after a slow night concludes with a sudden tiebreaker. Bruhat Soma spelled 29 words correctly in a lightning-round tiebreaker to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday night.

Who are the Scripps spelling bee finalists? ›

While Soma and Zaki were the last two standing on the stage, the night began with eight spellers who worked their way through the competition and into the final. The finalists included Soma, Zaki, Rishabh Saha, Shrey Parikh, Aditi Muthukumar, YY Liang, Ananya Rao Prassanna and Kirsten Santos.

Who won the Scripps spelling bee last night? ›

Bruhat Soma overcame Faizan Zaki, spelling a series of words at lightning speeds, in their tiebreaking round to secure the Scripps Bee trophy. The Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday came down to its second-ever spell-off, a fast-and-furious tiebreaking round that rewards speed as much as accuracy.

Who is bruhat soma? ›

In a remarkable achievement, Bruhat Soma, a seventh-grade Indian-American student from Florida, has emerged victorious at the 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Expressing his excitement and disbelief at winning the championship, Bruhat shared, “When I won, I was excited.

Who won the 72 spelling bee? ›

72nd Scripps National Spelling Bee
LocationGrand Hyatt Washington in Washington, D.C.
WinnerNupur Lala
Age14
ResidenceTampa, Florida
8 more rows

Where can I watch The spelling bee 2024? ›

It will be aired on Ion, a broadcast television network owned by Scripps Networks, which is available on many cable and satellite providers, and over some streaming platforms.

How many black people have won the Scripps spelling bee? ›

The 93rd Scripps National Spelling Bee was the first time that an African-American (Zaila Avant-garde) became the champion and only the second time that the champion was a black person. The competition was not held from 1943 to 1945 because of World War II.

How much does a spelling bee winner get? ›

Bruhat rattled off a head-spinning 29 correctly spelled words in 90 seconds, including heautophany, nachschläge and puszta. Bruhat's spell-off sprint on Thursday night won him the competition's trophy, the Scripps Cup, and a grand prize of $50,000.

Who won the 1999 spelling bee? ›

Who better to talk through it all than 1999 champion Nupur Lala? Nupur won the bee with the word “logorrhea,” which means “the excessive use of words.” Her journey to the top was documented in the Oscar-nominated film “Spellbound.”

Who won the spelling bee in 1985? ›

Balu Natarajan paved the way by becoming the first South Asian to win this competition in 1985. The Associated Press at the time reported the “immigrants' son” spoke his “parents' native Indian language at home.”

Who won the first spelling bee? ›

The inaugural champion was 11-year-old Frank Neuhauser of Louisville, who correctly spelled gladiolus to claim a prize of $500. The event proved popular, and the number of participating newspapers (and therefore contestants) soon proliferated.

Is bruhat soma Indian? ›

Indian-American Bruhat Soma from Florida wins Scripps National Spelling Bee. World News - Business Standard.

When did Scripps Spelling Bee start? ›

about the bee

Since 1925, children across America have participated in classroom, school and regional spelling bees with the hope of making it to the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Who won the Scripps Spelling Bee 2014? ›

87th Scripps National Spelling Bee
WinnerAnsun Sujoe Sriram Hathwar (co-winners)
Age13 (Sujoe) 14 (Hathwar)
ResidenceFort Worth, Texas (Sujoe) Painted Post, New York (Hathwar)
SponsorTexas Christian University (Sujoe) Corning Rotary Club (Hathwar)
8 more rows

Who wins the 25th annual spelling bee? ›

he wants to misspell his word on purpose so Olive can get another chance, but she tells him to spell correctly so he can win. This series of decisions ultimately lead to Barfee winning the Bee.

What is the age group for the Scripps Spelling Bee? ›

In general terms, the Scripps National Spelling Bee program is open to students who have neither turned 16 nor passed beyond the eighth grade, and who attend schools that are officially enrolled with our program for the current academic year. For more details, please see the complete list of eligibility requirements.

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