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HelpRe: Noelle
in reply to a message by CN
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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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
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The original French pronunciation is no-EL for both the male and female version.
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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.
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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.
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
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I've pretty much only heard Noel pronounced like Nole.
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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.
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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
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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.
Maybe it's a difference in the American/British accent.
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