Message: "Noelle" - Behind the Name

Noelle

by Perrine (Destry)

4/14/2018, 2:28 AM

Noelle is an old favorite. Do you like it? Spelled with the trema or without?

Replies

- gymdog3 (guest)

4/14/2018, 7:46 PM

I love the name Noelle. It is my middle name and people constantly remark how pretty it is. I prefer it spelled Noelle because Noel makes me think of Christmas. Unless you are very religious, that is not a connotation you necessarily want in this day and age.

- Olwen (Likeyeahwhatev)

4/14/2018, 2:27 PM

I like it. It’s pretty and upbeat. Sounds a bit 80s to me because of the -Elle ending I think but it’s not really dated or anything.

I think the terms looks nice but since they aren’t really a thing here it’d be more of s hassle than anything else.

- noel (glaucous)

4/14/2018, 9:27 AM

Well, it's kind of my name. I think it's plain but in a pleasant way.

Accent marks look superfluous to me, but I'd probably prefer them if I lived in a place where they were commonly used.

This message was edited 4/14/2018, 9:28 AM

- number1212

4/14/2018, 9:17 AM

I used to love this name but now...nah. It is just way too Christmas-y.

- Ninor (Frozten)

4/14/2018, 7:18 AM

I really like Noelle, and it's one of my favorites when it comes to N-names. I prefer this spelling, and I actually have it on my own list. I like that it's French, just like one of my own LN's (and FN).

- queenv

4/14/2018, 6:48 AM

Meh. Not bad, but I don't love it. I'd consider it as a middle name for a girl born on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Otherwise, nah.

- RoxStar

4/14/2018, 6:46 AM

I think it's a beautiful name. No accent marks for me.

- CN +11

4/14/2018, 6:20 AM

I like Noelle a lot but it bothers me that in English there doesn't seem to be a distinction between Noel and Noelle (maybe not in French either?).
I prefer Noelle without the trema but Noel spelt Noël.

- queenv +10

4/14/2018, 6:47 AM

Americans pronounce them differently. Noel is close to NOLE, with just a slight break between "No" and "el", and the "No" syllable emphasized, but not strongly. Noelle is No-ELL, with a large break between the syllables and the ELL emphasized heavily.

- CN +9

4/14/2018, 7:16 AM

I remember watching Real Housewives of New York and one of the women has a son named Noel and she said his name exactly like I would pronounce Noelle (and how you describe pronouncing Noelle).
I've heard Noel said like Noelle a few other times (on Americn tv shows) but I haven't heard Noel said like Nole. I guess that's why I'm under the impression that there is no distinction between the two names.

- Mireio (Anna21)

4/14/2018, 1:26 PM

I have an Uncle Noel in Ireland who pronounces it like Nole.

- noel (glaucous) +3

4/14/2018, 9:06 AM

It is pretty ambiguous.

I think most Americans would pronounce Noel as knoll/nole, which is understood to be the masculine version. No one has ever pronounced my name like Noelle (which is how I pronounce it), when they've just read it instead of heard it.

But Noel is pronounced as No-el all the time when it's used in relation to Christmas (like in songs). So I guess that carries over to names, but it's more unusual.

This message was edited 4/14/2018, 9:07 AM

- Perrine (Destry) +2

4/14/2018, 9:26 AM

The original French pronunciation is no-EL for both the male and female version.

- noel (glaucous)

4/14/2018, 10:28 AM

Yeah, because it's the same as the word, right? I just meant that for whatever reason, it's common for English speakers to pronounce Noel differently as a name than they would if they were thinking of it as the (loan)word...I think it's actually kind of weird, but it's the norm as far as I know.

- Barbra (barbierose)

4/14/2018, 10:08 AM

I would naturally pronounce Noel as I would Noelle (I would not differentiate between one letter "l" or two letter "l"s nor would I offer a different pronunciation due to a silent "e" - unless a Noel (or Noelle) informs me that I should).

I associate the name with peace, (from Christmas), but the Christmas association does not lessen the distinct novelty that the name bears; honestly, it rather enriches it.

This message was edited 4/14/2018, 10:09 AM

- Ninor (Frozten)

4/14/2018, 7:42 AM

I've pretty much only heard Noel pronounced like Nole.

- queenv +1

4/14/2018, 7:25 AM

That strikes me as odd. My father had a male cousin named Noel, named so because he was born on Christmas Day, and it was pronounced the way I stated. Also, I have only ever heard Noel Coward's name pronounced that way here in the US, despite the fact that he had the trema in his name. Well, perhaps other Americans (can't speak at all for the British) can weigh in.

- Pie

4/14/2018, 12:48 PM

Here I've come across NO ul - almost but not quite one syllable - and NOLE, not so much dependent on accent as personal preference of the bearer

- Millie (ImSorryIfILoveYou96)

4/14/2018, 7:22 AM

In England, it's my experience that Noel is definitely pronounced NOLE (one syllable, no break at all) and Noelle is no-ELL (like you're saying "No, Elle..." which is partly why I dislike the name) two syllables for the feminization.

Maybe it's a difference in the American/British accent.

- Felie

4/14/2018, 2:49 AM

Hi Perrine !!!

Noëlle (is these ë the 'trema'?) Is a lovely, charming, sweet French name. I rate it 8/10 but I would be glad to use it as MN if a future possible daughter would be born in Christmas Time.

I love names with this ë or ï!
Among others Noëlle, Maël, Héloïse, Gaël / Gaëlle, Anaïs and Michaël ..

This message was edited 4/14/2018, 2:51 AM

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