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Baby names

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Original poster

How would you pronounce Viola?

36 replies

mrselba · 15/06/2012 19:32

Vee-ola, or Vye- ola? And what do you think is better middle name:

Viola Nancy
Viola Dorothy
Viola Agnes
(realise these might not be to everyone's taste- they are all family names)

Thanking you

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soontobemumofthree · 18/06/2012 21:21

Vye - ola is how I would pronounce it. Liking Agnes or Nancy. Probably prefer Nancy!

thisisyesterday · 18/06/2012 20:27

first thought was vee-ola

but then i did think, or vye-ola

if i met someone with a child called Viola i would pronounce it however they did :)

monkeymoma · 18/06/2012 20:24

vye-ola
its lovely
I like it best with Agnes

FfoFfycsecs · 18/06/2012 17:51

Bloody hell. If you're going to get that riled about a few jokes on MN about the fact that the name is an instrument, I strongly advise you don't use the name, as you'll be hearing those kinds of comments a lot...

ComposHat · 18/06/2012 14:36

thank you for your incredibly useful and stunningly witty comments. Unfortunately,your suggestions aren't actually normally considered 'names', whereas,as noted at least twice here, the 'name' Viola goes back to Shakespearean times

Christ alight, you are a lot of fun aren't you?

No need to get so riled by a flippant comment. No offence was meant.

Do you really have to be quite so patronising? I am well aware Viola is a character from 12th night, as will most people with a passing interest in English literature. Who died and made you Mary Beard?

Original poster
mrselba · 18/06/2012 14:23

takingiteasy, composhat, thank you for your incredibly useful and stunningly witty comments. Unfortunately,your suggestions aren't actually normally considered 'names', whereas,as noted at least twice here, the 'name' Viola goes back to Shakespearean times,at least. It's a bit like saying to someone calling their child May, or June, "why don't you just call it September". But you know, thanks anyway. Hmm

Thank to everyone else for answering- i'm not overly fussed if people get it wrong,there's not a huge difference,just wanted a straw poll of what the most common way would be.

OP posts:
CouthyMow · 18/06/2012 03:41

Vee-ola.

ComposHat · 18/06/2012 01:55

or stylophone

takingiteasy · 17/06/2012 14:46

Just go for Trumpet, or Cello

Thatisnotitatall · 17/06/2012 11:39

Vye-ola - as somebody said she's a Shakespearean heroine (a good one for a strong, intelligent woman) - the other pronounciation is an instrument, certainly.

If the pronunciation is going to worry you don't use the name, as you will be constantly getting annoyed and correcting people - correcting people when they have not pronounced it "wrong" but simply not the way you like it always seems a bit awkward/ ridiculous somehow ...

SweetPea3 · 17/06/2012 10:58

Vee-ola. Also think it sounds prettier than Vye-ola.

Viola Agnes is lovely!

McKayz · 17/06/2012 07:59

Vye-ola

FfoFfycsecs · 17/06/2012 07:56

My lovely stepmother is Viola. Vee-ola. I think it's far prettier than Vye-ola.
Nancy is the favourite of the middle names.

EchoBitch · 17/06/2012 01:59

Is Viola even a name?

Violet surely?

Parma Violets.

LavenderCakes · 17/06/2012 01:59

Vye-ola - as in the greatest Shakespearean heroine - is my favourite name ever. Dh vetoed and vetoed again with both my daughters. Because he said that people would pronounce it Vee-ola and wonder why we'd named her after a musical instrument. I think Veeola is lovely lovely lovely too though. I met someone called it the other day (first time ever) and she said people pronounced it about 50% each way, and she didn't mind which one, she liked both.

All your middle names are lovely as well, I wish I was married to you instead of Dh Grin

EchoBitch · 17/06/2012 01:56

Agnes is an haggard old lady name.

Haggy Aggy.

FairLadyRantALot · 17/06/2012 01:45

In German or Germany I would naturally say VEEOLA...
however in English VYEOLA flows better... and I think that would be my automatic English pronunciation.
Saying that personally I think VEEOLA sounds prettier.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 16/06/2012 20:26

Oh and Agnes as mn. I really like Agnes.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 16/06/2012 20:25

VYA-la. Lovely name.

Sossiges · 16/06/2012 14:33

Vye-ola. Twelfth Night. Sorry can't help with the middles.

hattifattner · 16/06/2012 14:32

vye -O-la

MarySA · 16/06/2012 14:30

I always thought it was Vye-ola. There was a character in Shakespeare called this. Can't remember which play. See somebody else has mentioned this. Would assume it would be the same

PepperOnMyPaprikash · 16/06/2012 08:34

Vee-ola

StepOutOfSpring · 16/06/2012 08:01

Vee-ola

susiedaisy · 15/06/2012 22:28

Vye ola