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Baby names

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Original poster

Baby name spelling (help)

85 replies

lemonnmeringuepie · 18/07/2018 05:31

We are expecting in October, and have both a boys and girls name picked.

The girls name we love is Joely (pronounciation Jo-lee) feel free to say if you don't like it, but we do, and it has stuck!

The only thing we're struggling on is the spelling.

I LOVE Jolie - but reminds me of Angelina (who I can't say I'm a big fan of) - I think it's the most gorgeous spelling but from unbiased point of views, is it a bit stupid to use this spelling if we don't want the Angelina connotation, or does it not matter?

Or Joely - which I don't think looks as nice.

Opinions on spelling more than welcome, thank you!

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GreatDuckCookery6211 · 19/07/2018 16:06

Joely.
Anything else looks made up.

autumndreaming · 19/07/2018 08:16

To the OP, I think both are nice. Joely seems more modern while Jolie is a bit more traditional iyswim

autumndreaming · 19/07/2018 08:14

@Bibesia I've just read it was around in the 1940s, so hardly made up by Angelina Jolie's parents Hmm

mynameisnotmichaelcaine · 19/07/2018 07:12

Thing is, you all say that but DD's friend has literally never had this, and all supply teachers know how to say it. Nobody puts the emphasis on the Lee either, it's the Jo that's stressed. Apparently DD and her friends call her Angelina in a fakey French accent sometimes, but there's worse nicknames to have.

BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 19/07/2018 06:38

Joely is lovely, but I wouldn't say it JoLee, I'd have a hint of a third syllable in the middle

Ihuntmonsters · 19/07/2018 06:31

They both look made up to me, and googling I see that Jolie is a French word but not used as a name in France and Joely is only known for being used by Joely Richardson. So both made up very recently.

I prefer Joan (Joanie / Joni), Jolene, Jodie or Josephine (Josie) of the similar sounding names which have a bit more of a pedigree.

NynaeveSedai · 19/07/2018 06:05

Jolie is pronounced Szho- lee Not Joe-lee

Joely is not common but there is an actress called joely so it has some precedent.

PurpleFlower1983 · 19/07/2018 06:02

Joely is best IMO.

TheMythicalChicken · 19/07/2018 05:51

Jolie would be pronounced 'JoLIE'. With the emphasis on the second syllable. Also, the J is soft, like 'dj'.

Iyla · 19/07/2018 05:46

Jolie is very pretty and I wouldn't associate it with Angelina. Everyone will get used to the pronunciation and spelling quickly.

Original poster
lemonnmeringuepie · 18/07/2018 20:15

@Amazing I've never been to France, don't speak French, have no French friends and so wouldn't necessarily make the connection

OP posts:
Original poster
lemonnmeringuepie · 18/07/2018 20:12

@mynameisnotmichaelcaine I was wondering about the sudden French accents to be honest! Thank you x

OP posts:
mynameisnotmichaelcaine · 18/07/2018 19:28

DD (14) has a friend called Jolie. I've literally never known anyone to pronounce it any way other than correctly (Jo-Lee). Nobody pronounces it in a fakey French accent. I personally like the spelling Joely too.

AmazingPostVoices · 18/07/2018 19:25

lemon I don’t want to be rude but it’s always worth googling any name you are thinking of giving your child in case there is a meaning, connection, connotation or product that you don’t like.

I’m a bit surprised you got as far as writing an MN post about Jolie and didn’t know it was French tbh.

Bibesia · 18/07/2018 18:41

fearfultrill, that just makes it a name made up by Angeline Jolie's parents, or whoever they copied. It's not a name generally given to French baby girls, for instance.

Hillbillyhotel · 18/07/2018 17:22

mikeuniformmike she pronounces it jo-lee.

Original poster
lemonnmeringuepie · 18/07/2018 17:05

Thanks for all of the input!

Hadn't realised Jolie was a French word and have no French connections so not quite sure about that spelling, although it does look nice!

Joely probably fits that bit better, but have plenty of time to keep thinking about it.

Thanks again!

OP posts:
MikeUniformMike · 18/07/2018 15:50

But Jollie would be pronounced Jolly not Joely

Hillbillyhotel · 18/07/2018 15:48

I used to work with a girl with this name,she spelt hers Jollie.

fearfultrill · 18/07/2018 15:46

@Bibesia no, it's not the made up one actually. It's a French name and is actually Angelina Jolie's middle name, she just uses it as a sort of 'stage' name professionally.

MikeUniformMike · 18/07/2018 13:22

Jolie Laid

daisypond · 18/07/2018 13:10

Jolie won't be pronounced as you want. You'll get Zhohlee (as in the French word for pretty) or perhaps Joh-LEE.
Joely is fine, as in Joely Richardson, the actress.

ooobisto · 18/07/2018 12:45

@Enidblyton1 has a good point. I would also assume Jolly/French pronunciation. All in all whichever way you pronounce it, it does seem tricky and doesn't roll off the tongue easily!

ooobisto · 18/07/2018 12:42

I considered Jolie for DD2 but scraped it in the end because I didn't know if people would pronounce it correctly. It never even occurred to me that people would think of Angelina Jolie!

Joely doesn't look right at all, is it made up?

I'd personally stick with Jolie

WildCherryBlossom · 18/07/2018 12:06

Joely is the feminine form of the biblical name Joel.

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