fɹʌm ɪts hˈɛdwɔːɾɚz ɪn wˈɛstɚn ˈæn ˈæɹʌndəl kˈaʊnti ɪn kɹˈɔftən, ðə ɹˈɪvɚɹ ˈɛntɚz ðə tʃˈɛsəpˌiːk bˈeɪ sˈaʊθ ʌvðə hɪstˈɔːɹɪk pˈoːɹt sˈɪɾi ʌv ɐnˈæpəlˌɪs, hˈɛns ðə nˈeɪm sˈaʊθ ɹˈɪvɚ.
From its headwaters in western Anne Arundel County in Crofton, the river enters the Chesapeake Bay south of the historic port city of Annapolis, hence the name South River.