Why is “его” pronounced “yevo” in Russian?

Его (“him,” “his”) is spelled with a г but pronounced “yevo,” with a v. So его зовут Александр, “his name is Alexander,” sounds like “yevo zovut.” The same happens in the ending -ого / -его on adjectives: нового is said “novovo,” and сегодня, “today,” is said “sevodnya.”

It’s a fossil of older spelling: the г stayed on paper while the sound shifted. Learners who read letter by letter say “yego” and are instantly marked as beginners. The clip runs through the full set of names: меня зовут, его зовут, её зовут, их зовут — literally “they call me / him / her / them.”