How would you pronounce Joel?

[aliphil]

DH and I are thinking of Joel for a boy (we don't know yet what we're having). I have always pronounced it JO-ul, i.e. two syllables. But it came up in one of the readings at church last Sunday, and the reader pronounced it Jole, which I don't like as much. Anyone know which of these is the standard pronunciation?

The one I know is Jo-ul. Not a big split in syllables but definitely there.

Jo elle

I'm northern and say jole.

jo-ul

Am Scottish, and would also say so-ul for sole so I don't think I am much help

I think it's a sort of one-and-a-half syllable name, if that makes sense! I say it Jo-uhl, but the second syllable is swallowed and not stressed at all - it's only barely there.

Compare with Noel and the feminine forme Noelle. Or indeed the French Joelle.

I'm from Yorkshire originally, but DH is from the Midlands and he says "jo-ul" too, so maybe there's no logic to it! Anyway, we're thinking again, yet again. I don't know, coming up with a girl's name was easy!

Cornish and say it Jole too!

I've taught one, he was a Jo-ul.

I'm southern and I say double syllable: joe-ul.

I'm welsh and in typically Welsh fashion, like getting as many syllables out of a word as possible, Joe-ull