My formative years in the Scottish Highlands were spent amidst hordes of MacPhersons, and never once did I hear the name pronounced as anything other than MACK-FER-SUN. Never ever did anybody in native MacPherson country pronounce their name MACK-FEAR-SUN.

While we're at it the name MacKay is pronounced MACK-EYE (as in EYE of the storm) and not MACK-KAY (as in Kay Kendall if anybody remembers her ...)

Furthermore the name MacLeod is pronounced MACK-LOUD, and not MACK-LEE-ODD, as US immigration officials tend to assume. I would nevertheless almost prefer that they assume the incorrect pronunciation rather than assume that my name should be spelt "MacLoud" ...