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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Joely?

85 replies

cloverbug · 18/11/2020 09:50

Thoughts on Joely for a girl? Smile

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MikeUniformMike · 18/11/2020 13:48

It doesn't need to be short for anything,it's the feminine form of Joel

It reminds me of someone I know called Yael. Lovely name and she is stunning, but people struggle with the name. It's said as Ya El, hardly complicated. It's the same meaning as Joel/Joely

StripyTigerTail · 18/11/2020 13:40

It made me think Richardson and Angelina! Jolie obviously means pretty in French, but it sounds very different in a British accent.

It's perfectly fine. A bit different. Personally, I'd make it short for something (Josephine maybe). My small hesitation is that it rhymes with roly poly, but that's probably just me!

MikeUniformMike · 18/11/2020 13:35

Most people seem to say Jolie as Joe Lee.
Joely is more like Jodie or Josie.

Rhymes with Holy

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 18/11/2020 13:10

It's pronounced like Jolie, as in Angelina Jolie.

It isn’t quite. Assuming an anglicised ‘j’ rather than the French ‘zh’ (sorry, I don’t have a phonetic keyboard on my phone but it’s like the sound in the middle of ‘treasure’) most people will pronounce Jolie as ‘jo-LEE’. Joely technically has three syllables (although the middle one is very short) and the stress is on the first syllable, ‘JO-eh-lee’.

It’s very pretty as long as you don’t live in Birmingham or the Black Country, where it is much less pretty in the local accent.

Monstermissy36 · 18/11/2020 12:28

Joely was my name for DS2 had he been a girl... so I like it 😀 I also know a Jolene and tbh after the first 5 mins of knowing her never gave the song a thought.

It's a yes from me

BikerChick91 · 18/11/2020 12:27

It’s ok. I find the spelling confusing too... it’s Jo-uh-lee rather than Jo-lee right? We call Angelina Jolie - Jo-lee though... although that’s not the correct French pronunciation.

Some people pronounce Joel as a one syllable name, others two - Jole verses Jo-uhl or Jo-el depending on accent. So I suppose it’s either Jo-lee or Jo-uh-lee or Jo-eh-lee...

MikeUniformMike · 18/11/2020 12:22

Joely Richardson and Phil Collins's daughter.
It's fine @cloverbug

PineappleUpsideDownCake · 18/11/2020 12:22

I dont like either but prefer Jolie if thatsbthe pronounciation you want.

Joley just sounds like a nickname for Joleen. Both are horriblem

Audreyseyebrows · 18/11/2020 12:19

I prefer Jolie.

MercyBodle · 18/11/2020 12:15

I like it.

purpleme12 · 18/11/2020 12:05

Joely is the correct spelling for the girl's name
Jolie would be choosing to change the spelling

NameChange84 · 18/11/2020 12:02

[quote cloverbug]@NameChange84 It's pronounced like Jolie, as in Angelina Jolie. Smile
I could see how it may be pronounced differently in the UK though. (I'm in Australia)[/quote]
Thanks, in that case I’d go with Jolie.

Joely really looks like Jo-ellie to me.

bitheby · 18/11/2020 11:55

I thought of Joely Fisher. I say it Jo - eh - lee

YesPleaseMary · 18/11/2020 11:55

I like it.

Beamur · 18/11/2020 11:54

It's lovely. I thought of Joely Richardson too - she's very classy.
But it could be mangled in certain accents.

TicTacTwo · 18/11/2020 11:52

Love Joe for a boy and Joel is ok but not keen on Joely.

Original poster
cloverbug · 18/11/2020 11:51

@NameChange84 It's pronounced like Jolie, as in Angelina Jolie. Smile
I could see how it may be pronounced differently in the UK though. (I'm in Australia)

OP posts:
purpleme12 · 18/11/2020 11:48

Surprised by the negative comments!
It's a lovely name and doesn't sound like you just wanted a boy at all. Joely is a name in its own right

NameChange84 · 18/11/2020 11:46

For what it’s worth...I do like Joy, Jolie (as in Angelina or the French Word) or Jocelyn.

neverenoughchelseaboots · 18/11/2020 11:39

I think it's lovely.

Nell96 · 18/11/2020 11:37

I quite like it. Joley Richardson springs to mind. Also the song 'Jolene' - which is fab, especially the version by the White Stripes 😊

NameChange84 · 18/11/2020 11:29

Not massively keen...

What is it - Jo-Ellie or Jo-lee? Or Jolly?

Mybobowler · 18/11/2020 11:26

I really want to like this name but I'm never completely sure how to pronounce it!

Tararararara · 18/11/2020 11:20

It isn't very common but it's a perfectly normal and fairly traditional name. Nothing wrong with it. I immediately thought of Joely Richardson but that might be my age!

tsmainsqueeze · 18/11/2020 11:16

I think its lovely.