Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Pronunciation of Roald

58 replies

whatausername · 15/12/2021 21:15

Row (as in a boat)?
Roll?
Road?
Rolled?

Not using it, just curious. I always hear Roald Dahl referred to by his full name. I think I say "row" and it runs into Dahl. What is the correct pronunication? Any Norwegians about?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
AstridsMama · 16/12/2021 10:39

Astrid has differing pronunciations in different countries- Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and Britain all say it slightly differently.

SeanChailleach · 16/12/2021 10:34

Can be spelt just Roal
Alternate modern Swedish spellings include
Vrål
Wrål
Modern Icelandic Hróðvaldur

The name is From Old Norse Hróðvaldr meaning "world famous"

ChimChimeny · 16/12/2021 07:07

Saying roald Dahl out loud and I say Roll Dahl, there definitely aren't two Ds but I think that's more because I would always say his full name and two Ds together sounds clunky.

It's like in the oasis song Acquiesce, the line 'and I know we're going to uncover' it all sort of runs together into 'gunoo-uncover ' Grin

Pyracanth · 16/12/2021 06:46

In Norway Astrid is pronounced Ustree. Sometimes if a Norwegian person is speaking to English people we pronounce words in the way English people might do which is why you may have heard them pronouncing the d.

DBI78 · 16/12/2021 06:03

I know an Astrid the d isn't silent. And she's was named after an Astrid from Norway and they didn't do silent d either.

CornishGem1975 · 15/12/2021 23:15

I've known a couple of Astrids and never known a silent D

immersivereader · 15/12/2021 23:11

So you only hear the D because people always say Dahl as well as Roald?

Rizzoli123 · 15/12/2021 23:09

Rolled

Pyracanth · 15/12/2021 22:37

Oh and the d is silent

Pyracanth · 15/12/2021 22:37

Roald -
Ro - as in how a cockney would pronounce the a in the word ball.
ald - is pronounced “ull” as in Ullswater and with the tongue at back of mouth on the “ll”
And if proper Norwegian pronunciation then the R would be rolling.

AndTime · 15/12/2021 22:26

I've always said rolled too but I have never said it without his surname which kind of flows into it.

Clevs · 15/12/2021 22:21

On its own I pronounce it 'Rolled'. But when I say 'Roald Dahl' I am a bit lazy and say 'Roll' because the D of his surname makes it sound like 'Rolled' anyway!

TuftyMarmoset · 15/12/2021 22:15

I pronounce it the same as rolled but I’ve always suspected that isn’t correct!

Definitely pronounce the d in Astrid though.

BiscuitLover3679 · 15/12/2021 22:15

@WhispersOfWickedness

The d is silent at the end, like Astrid Smile
Please explain!
BiscuitLover3679 · 15/12/2021 22:14

I always thought it was Roll!

RebeccaCloud9 · 15/12/2021 22:12

My mind is blown. Always been rolled in my head - only ever heard it like this. Can't believe it has been wrong this whole time!

Original poster
whatausername · 15/12/2021 22:03

@DixieSun

My grandad was friends with him and called him Roo al
A short 'a' and emphasis on the 'roo'?
OP posts:
Original poster
whatausername · 15/12/2021 22:02

Oh and, in my defence, as a little kid I probably mispronounced his name and it has stuck ever since. If you process a wrong pronunciation or spelling as a young child it really seems to stick! Never too late to learn though :-)

OP posts:
DixieSun · 15/12/2021 22:00

My grandad was friends with him and called him Roo al

Original poster
whatausername · 15/12/2021 21:56

@Itsnotalwaysme

Like mould but with an r Grin
I think when I slow down "Roald Dahl" that is actually what I get for his first name. Which in my accent is the same as "rolled".

Or maybe I'm 50/50 on row and rolled. My bored mind is wandering tonight 😂 Stuck in bed ill!

OP posts:
YodaiamsaidI · 15/12/2021 21:52

A show he was on said Roo-al

LoannaJumley · 15/12/2021 21:48

It's Row-old isn't it?

YodaiamsaidI · 15/12/2021 21:46

I always thought it was pronouned Rowal,but I'm notorious for mispronouncing words

Itsnotalwaysme · 15/12/2021 21:43

Like mould but with an r Grin

Itmustbeaproblemwithyourdoodad · 15/12/2021 21:43

I love this name and we very nearly named our son it but chickened out because of the pronunciation issues. We were saying “Rowuld” but Google said that was incorrect, which made me confused and a bit sad. So he’s Rupert instead but I still feel a bit sad he’s not Roald because it feels like such an epic name to me.