Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Violet pronunciation

112 replies

HelpMebeok · 03/03/2024 18:42

How would you pronounce Violet. I say Vi O Let but have lots of friends saying Vi Let

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
TrainsPlanesAutos · 05/03/2024 03:08

VY-LIT, much like violent.

Bringtheweatherwithyou · 04/03/2024 19:30

SoOutingWhoCares · 04/03/2024 09:18

Dan-yell-eh is the correct Italian pronounciation for Daniele...maybe some Italian background explains it?

Show quote history

Yes the person is from Italy. Pronounces it Dan Yell Ee though not Dan Yell Eh

TheOriginalEmu · 04/03/2024 17:09

VY-uh-lut.

WhoaJayShettybambalam · 04/03/2024 17:05

FayCarew · 03/03/2024 20:40

@WhoaJayShettybambalam , but how do you say Viola. It can be Vigh-O-la or VIGH-uh-la.

Oh I hadn’t thought of that.

Vigh oh La

Ontopofthesunset · 04/03/2024 13:37

If I'm pronouncing the word slowly and focusing on it, I say VY-uh-lut, where the first syllable is stressed and the latter two syllables are unstressed schwas (as in SE 'put'). But in reality in normal speech I say VY-lut because that middle unstresed vowel just gets elided into the first syllable.

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 04/03/2024 13:26

If I was doing it properly I'd say Vi-ah-let

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 04/03/2024 13:25

I know a Violet and we say it Vi-lut but we're in the midlands. And she gets called Vi

SoOutingWhoCares · 04/03/2024 13:20

Lalupalina · 04/03/2024 12:07

I've never heard Violet pronounced like that Confused?!

Show quote history

This will be a rhotic/non-rhotic accent thing...

Scots/West Country/American speakers will recoil in horror at the suggestion

while RP speakers will insist it's a completely normal way of pronouncing the name.

Happens every time in these sorts of threads.

FayCarew · 04/03/2024 13:12

It would sound like Varluh where I am

Lalupalina · 04/03/2024 12:07

user1492757084 · 04/03/2024 08:29

VIRE - let .. rhymes with fire-let.

I've never heard Violet pronounced like that Confused?!

aintnospringchicken · 04/03/2024 10:55

I pronounce it Vi-let in my Scottish accent

ScierraDoll · 04/03/2024 10:29

The o is pronounced as far as I'm concerned. I've never heard anyone say vi let but then again it doesn't crop up all the time

BlueMonday1977 · 04/03/2024 10:24

I have a Violet!

Viy Lut - two syllables. Sometimes there is a really soft third syllable 'Viy er lut'

Her full name is Violet Ophelia Mae and she always has compliments on it.

BouleDeSuif · 04/03/2024 09:53

Vio-let. I've just said it out loud so many times to see how I say it, that it sounds completely wrong now.

Tubbyinthehottub · 04/03/2024 09:42

HelpMebeok · 03/03/2024 21:02

@Supersimkin2

that sounds how I imagine someone with a strong Manchester accent saying the name.

What??? I'm in Manchester and I'd done a lol at the Var-let post. Like how super posh people say arn for iron.

Can't imagine a Manc accent pronouncing it like that at all.

I'd say Vi-let or maybe Vi-uh-let.

Teamarugula · 04/03/2024 09:21

Lalupalina · 04/03/2024 08:11

Does anyone pronounce violent as 3 syllables?

I do but the middle schwa is quite short. Vie-uh-lunt.

Delphina17 · 04/03/2024 09:19

I have a Violet who gets very upset about people missing out the O in her name. She absolutely hates people pronouncing it Vi-let.

SoOutingWhoCares · 04/03/2024 09:18

Bringtheweatherwithyou · 04/03/2024 09:16

Dan Yell here too although I know one person with this name who pronounces it Dan Yell E!!!

Dan-yell-eh is the correct Italian pronounciation for Daniele...maybe some Italian background explains it?

Teamarugula · 04/03/2024 09:17

Vi (rhyme with bye)-uh-lut.

Bringtheweatherwithyou · 04/03/2024 09:16

Dan Yell here too although I know one person with this name who pronounces it Dan Yell E!!!

AmazingLemonDrizzle · 04/03/2024 09:12

South and Danny elle here too.

Also hearing lots of these variations the same and definitely 2 syllables.

Vile et
Vi let
Vire let
Via let.

All sounding v similar. I'm not quite sure how many times I've set violet.

SoOutingWhoCares · 04/03/2024 09:09

ColleenDonaghy · 04/03/2024 09:03

Interesting, thanks! You wouldn't hear that here at all, it's always Dan-yell.

Show quote history

It's always Dan-yell where I'm from too. There's only one person I know who says dan-ee-yell and she's Welsh (valleys).

ColleenDonaghy · 04/03/2024 09:03

Cheville · 04/03/2024 09:00

Some people don’t elide the ‘i’ into the ‘elle’ so much, so it’s more ‘DANNY-elle’. Three syllables rather than two, even if the middle one is unstressed.

Show quote history

Interesting, thanks! You wouldn't hear that here at all, it's always Dan-yell.

Cheville · 04/03/2024 09:00

ColleenDonaghy · 04/03/2024 08:47

Oh and now I want to know how to pronounce Danielle that isn't Dan-yell.

Some people don’t elide the ‘i’ into the ‘elle’ so much, so it’s more ‘DANNY-elle’. Three syllables rather than two, even if the middle one is unstressed.

DaisyHaites · 04/03/2024 08:52

Lalupalina · 04/03/2024 08:11

Does anyone pronounce violent as 3 syllables?

I think I would if I read it out, but in casual conversation I’d drop the schwa/middle syllable. It’s a common English trait to drop the schwa in the middle of the word.

I did the same when I read the title and thought “obviously vye-uh-lut” but on reflection, if I was using it mid sentence I’d almost certainly say vye-lut.