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Baby names

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How would you pronounce Joel?

60 replies

aliphil · 01/06/2012 20:34

DH and I are thinking of Joel for a boy (we don't know yet what we're having). I have always pronounced it JO-ul, i.e. two syllables. But it came up in one of the readings at church last Sunday, and the reader pronounced it Jole, which I don't like as much. Anyone know which of these is the standard pronunciation?

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Missy44 · 02/06/2012 22:09

I'm welsh and in typically Welsh fashion, like getting as many syllables out of a word as possible, Joe-ull

FanjoPingpong · 02/06/2012 18:29

I'm southern and I say double syllable: joe-ul.

postmanpatscat · 02/06/2012 16:56

I've taught one, he was a Jo-ul.

pixiestix · 02/06/2012 16:51

Cornish and say it Jole too!

aliphil · 02/06/2012 16:50

I'm from Yorkshire originally, but DH is from the Midlands and he says "jo-ul" too, so maybe there's no logic to it! Anyway, we're thinking again, yet again. I don't know, coming up with a girl's name was easy!

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PercyFilth · 02/06/2012 16:45

I think it's a sort of one-and-a-half syllable name, if that makes sense! I say it Jo-uhl, but the second syllable is swallowed and not stressed at all - it's only barely there.

Compare with Noel and the feminine forme Noelle. Or indeed the French Joelle.

giraffesCantFitInThePalace · 02/06/2012 15:01

jo-ul

Am Scottish, and would also say so-ul for sole so I don't think I am much help

Diamond7 · 02/06/2012 14:49

I'm northern and say jole.

scummymummy · 02/06/2012 13:53

Jo elle

Janoschi · 02/06/2012 13:46

The one I know is Jo-ul. Not a big split in syllables but definitely there.

LoopyLoopsCorgiPoops · 02/06/2012 11:49

jole sole vole in a hole

ripsishere · 02/06/2012 11:49

I know two Joel's. One Jo-le one Jo-el. Lovely name.

MustControlFistOfDeath · 02/06/2012 11:43

Jo-ul (SE Wales)

TheOneWithTheCrown · 02/06/2012 11:20

I'm in the north Step and I say Jole.

maples · 02/06/2012 08:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

StepOutOfSpring · 02/06/2012 08:18

Agree it's Jole in the south, Jo-ul in the north!

shoobidoo · 02/06/2012 07:36

I thought Jo-el like in Billy Joel.

upsidewide · 02/06/2012 04:02

Sam Wink

lilbreeze · 02/06/2012 03:59

Is that Sam-yule or Sam -yu-ul? Grin

upsidewide · 02/06/2012 03:43

DS2 was almost Joel, but we decided on Samuel instead. I think he would have suited either as he is so easy going and quite honestly he would suit most names.

TheOneWithTheCrown · 02/06/2012 00:46

North is anything above Stoke. Grin

Mspontipine · 01/06/2012 23:30

Sorry.. I digress!!

Mspontipine · 01/06/2012 23:29

But don't people class as north anything above London which is pretty much 3/4 of the country Crown

Mspontipine · 01/06/2012 23:28

Actually thinking about it - I'm not northern I'm Midlands which is .. well ... in the middle!!

Greenwing · 01/06/2012 23:11

Jo-ul

Joel is an excellent name IMO.