How should I pronounce Viola?

[reddaisy]

Is it Vee ola or V I ola?

Never been too sure. The instrument is a vee ola but the character from Twelfth Night is V I ola

I think V I ola for a girl too. I like it but not sure I should consider name even I don't know how to pronounce!

ha
it depends
the instrument is the first one.
the Shakespeare character - the second.
so - either....

i would say vi ola

harpsichordcarrier, just as well someone with a name such as you was around to help!! I defintely mean for a potential baby name.

I think that you will end up telling people how to pronounce it all the time
can you bear it ??
it is a beautiful name, and a lovely flower/instrument/character...

Vy-o-la, lovely name! x

I love this name. But I have to say the pronunciation thing put me off.

I would say "Vi-o-ler" (both person and instrument)

But I think "Vee-o-ler" is also OK, but it sounds a bit poncy to me.

The snag is that it easily becomes "viler" (especially in some regional accents). Would you be OK with that?

I would pronounce it Vi-ola as in violet.

A vee-OH-la is an instrument.

The name is the Latin name for violet, and should be pronounced the same as violet (violet pronounced properly that is, with two syllables before the l!) but with the different ending.

I guess there could be disputes about whether it should be VYE-uh-la (like Violet) or vye-OH-la, but I am pretty convinced the emphasis should be on the first syllable.

I think it would annoy me to constantly correct people but I really do love the name.

I also don't like the thought of viler...urgh.

I love the name in English...but in French it's very close to a very unpleasant word/verb, which I won't put here in case you still love the name. Sorry!

Lovely name , and yes, VYE-o-lah.

See your point PukeyMummy, but that association would only arise if you pronounced 'Viola' in a French way. So I suppose it's a prob if you expect to be in France a lot, but it would mostly be a matter of explaining the pronunciation, like men called Jean have to do when they come here.

PukehyMummy - tell me please. I would rather know all the possible downsides to a name now before I decide on it!

Glad you like it ViolaTricolor - what are the chances?!

Well, "violer" is French for "to violate", IYSWIM.

I personally love Violet and Viola, but needed to consider the French aspect when choosing names, so played it safe and stayed away.

Sorry!

That's ok. We have been to France a lot on recent holidays so it might be worth considering.

We've got a Viola, and yes, we had to go through about a year of people getting it wrong - and just not GETTING it as a name. Yawn. We nearly changed it so many times. But, I have to say that now it is totally fine. We still get the odd new person who doesn't get it, but I love the fact she has a beautiful literary name that is also a flower.

So, the question is, are you prepared to go through a lot of raised eyebrows (and people who are convinced you've got your own child's name wrong!) to get to the nice bit?

Do people like the name now nearly30? I worry that it isn't one of those names that trips off the tongue and I have to think about it as I say it although I imagine that would get better. Does she have a nickname?

I was taught that the correct way to say it is "VYE ler" with hardly any emphasis on the "o", which isn't as nice as "Vye Oh La".

Like Violet with the t.