How do you pronounce Billy Joel?

[BOOTS52PollyPrissyPants]

Do you say Joel or Joe l? For years always said Joe l. My son said you have been saying it wrong but all friends my age say it the same way. Is this just an Irish way of saying it with the broad accent on certain parts of the word. Never a fan of his music though.

Jole to rhyme with dole. I'm 63 and have never heard it pronounced as two syllables (not in the UK).

Guffawed at this!!!

AmusedBush what a great username, thank you for that I know was saying it wrong but saying it like that for years and asked lots of people same age and we all say the same. My son and his friends shocked and laughing at us.

Thank you - my username is a nod to a Samantha quote in Sex and the City

I have to say, I'm 32, Scottish (and have lived in Scotland my whole life), and I've never heard it pronounced any way other than "jole"!

I've always called him Billy Joe-l (I'm Irish) but have known a few kids with the first name Joel and rhymed it with dole.

So it is nearly all of us Irish saying the wrong way so think it is to do with the broad pronunciation maybe ....

AmusedBush used to watch that back in the 90's but haven't gotten into their newer stuff at all. Remember when Samantha found a grey hair in her bush ha.... she was great and wild.

There is an Irish tendency to add a syllable to one-syllable words. Like Moore Street, pronounced locally as Moo-ur Shtree-at, so perhaps a single syllable 'Joel' was too hard to say. Or perhaps it was assumed to rhyme with the name Noel, which is single syllable in the UK but has an extra half-syllable in Ireland.

I rhyme it with Noel.

Jowul. Nowul.

I'm in the US and all the deejays pronounce it to rhyme with bowl.

I think it's usually Joe L in Ireland and England but 'Jole' in the US.

Never heard Joel as a first name, is that an American name

No, it's a biblical name used all over the English speaking world.

Jole like role . That's how he pronounces it and presumably he would know!

This is how I say it, and more to the point, it's how Billy Joel says it.

if he himself pronounces it “Jole”, then that’s how it is pronounced! And Joel is a Jewish name, so I’ve no idea why posters are going on about being Irish and Scottish as though that makes them some sort of experts?

Joe-il with emphasis on the Joe part.

Mind blown. So that’s why DH insists on pronouncing it Jo-el. He’s Irish.

I had never heard it pronounced Jo-el until I met him. I’d only ever heard it pronounced to rhyme with role, dole.

He does have form for mispronunciation, e.g. Nike to rhyme with bike…

Joe-Elle. I’m Irish.

One syllable (and that's how all the New Yorkers I know say it, including my friend's dad who went to high school with Billy Joel!)

Joel is one of the Minor Prophets. It's not just an American name.

I am in the camp rymes with Dole /roll.

I have always loved his music Leningrad , downeaster Alexa and We Didn't Start the Fire are some of my favourites.

😀

Or perhaps it's the people who have actually heard him pronounce his own name...?

MrsFezziwig sorry but you missed the actual point it is because we add emphasis on some vowels or consonants that makes the word or name sound different and was just asking how other people say it that is all.

I've always said Billy Jo-el. Probably wrong though! South Lincs.

Yes, I’ve re-read your post. I thought the “actual point” was to find out how to pronounce his name correctly, when actually it’s just an opinion poll to find out who else is pronouncing it incorrectly! Apologies for that.

@BOOTS52PollyPrissyPants "I will listen over the weekend and come back to let you know...."

Hope you'll be converted

For the Irish on this thread, there is a restaurant on the Naas Road called Joels. I pronounce that Jo Elles too. What do you call it ?

This. So I’ve always said it will two syllables. I haven’t heard anyone say it to rhyme with soul.