Message: "Sibyl or Sybil?" - Behind the Name

[Opinions] Sibyl or Sybil?

by Azula (peonini)

3/27/2019, 5:57 PM

I love the name Sibyl/Sybil, it’s been a favorite for a long time but I go back and forth on which spelling I prefer. Sybil feels more young and springy to me while Sibyl feels more sophisticated. Which do you prefer?

“I wanna go where the sun is shining
and no one knows my name”

#Sibyl #Sybil

Replies

- erb816

3/28/2019, 7:26 PM

I prefer Sibyl, even though it's the less common of the two variants. Sybil, to me, looks like it should be pronounced SIGH-bill.

- Parthenia (OnyxMoon)

3/28/2019, 3:23 PM

Sibyl. Not sure why, and it also looks more complete to me despite being the same length as Sybil. I guess I just prefer the y last?

- Myosotis

3/28/2019, 12:56 PM

Sybil looks more pleasing to me and it connects to a character who made me love it in the first place, so despite being further from the original, Sybil’s always my pick.

- Wordsmith

3/28/2019, 9:07 AM

I love Sibyl (and adore Sibylla), and because I studied Ancient Greek, I stubbornly can't like Sybil--the i-y reversal irks me.

- Felie

3/27/2019, 11:19 PM

Hi !!!

For an English variant I prefer Sybil. I love the character of Lady Sybil Crawley in 'Downton Abbey' and that's my main link about it. Sibyl Vane (of Dorian Gray) is not as good as Lady Crawley.

Out of UK and anglophone countries I like Sibylla (Latin) and Sibilla (Italian).

- noel (glaucous)

3/27/2019, 8:26 PM

I prefer Sybil, but I don't really have a reason; my 1st association with Syb is 'syllable' while with Sib, it's 'sibling' or 'sibilant'.

...or actually, I think Sybil reminds me a bit of Tybalt, which...makes it seem more sleek and dashing?

This message was edited 3/27/2019, 8:30 PM

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