Emmeline... pronunciation?

[crabette]

I really like the name Emmeline... but in my head I always pronounce it Em-eh-lyn rather than Em-eh-LEEN, and I much prefer my (I assume incorrect!) pronunciation!

I'm not sure if this is partly accent - I'm west coast Scottish, and have a cousin Jacqueline who is sometimes referred to by various family members phonetically as Jacklyn, though I know Jack-eh-LEEN is correct.

How would you pronounce Emmeline? I don't really want to do a weird spelling variation - I know Emmelyn would be more obvious, but I think it is a bit of an invented spelling which puts me off!

I also thought of Evelyn and Emily - but don't love either quite as much.

Definitely leen, like Emmeline Pankhurst ❤️ I've only come across one in baby classes and she pronounces it the same (she being the mother, not the baby).

I pronounce it with "leen" but I have also heard it pronounced with "line" (like Caroline). I'd probably spell it with "lyn" if I wanted it pronounced with "lyn".

I would say “Lyn” like you OP! You are not alone. I have never known anyone called it though ... though I have know Jacqueline’s pronounced that way.

I've always pronounced it as Emma-leen.

Emma-Line

i have an emmeline and we use the -leen pronunciation. some people do say emma-line but we’ve never had anyone call her emma-lyn.

Emm-uh-leen. I think americans say emm-uh-line

It's traditionally EMM-uh-leen as in the poem merryhose posted above.

Oops sorry, merryhouse

Emma-line.
Ben Folds is never wrong 😂 (apart from all the times he got married.)

Emma -leen is the only pronunciation I've ever heard.

Also know a different variation of the poem, as learned by a friend who went to posh school where elocution lessons were standard...
Emmeline, Emmeline has not been seen for at least a week.
She slipped between the 2 tall trees at the end of the green.
Emmeline, Emmeline we all followed after. But all we could hear was the sound of her laughter.

I know a girl called Emeline and it's pronounced Emma leen.

I always pronounced it Emma-leen (because I think that was the Pankhurst pronunciation) until I watched a film with an Emma - line and now I struggle not pronouncing it that way.
I would never have pn it Emma-lynn - sorry! But I think the other two ways are both common and people will learn which way to say it.

I had Emmeline on my list for DD but was put off when I found out I was pronouncing it wrong (the same way as you!)

I also pronounce it like Evelyn with an M. And didn’t want to be correcting people her whole life. I liked Emmie as a nickname though. I’m not overly keen on emme-LEEN or Emme-LINE ways of saying it. X

Ps. I’m also Scottish... not sure if that’s influenced me haha

Yeah, thanks all, this was my fear.

@MrsBonnie I wonder if it is a Scottish thing!

I definitely don't want to put a child through multiple pronunciation issues. Just a bit sad it's not pronounced Evelyn with an M, because I do love that much more than LEEN like Jacqueline or LINE like Caroline! Ah well.

In my head I have always said Emma-line to rhyme with Caroline.

I’m afraid there are two ways to pronounce Evelyn too....

I used to teach and they were all Emma-Leen and usually named after Pankhurst. It sounds quite clinical and cold to my ears.

I knew a little boy called Emlyn growing up and loved his name.

Emmelyn or Emma Lynne are both ok imo and I prefer the sounds to Emmeline in all honesty.

Madeleine is a similar sound and feel to what you are going for.

I’ve never heard of a Jacquileen only Lyn ending.

I think the Hot Chocolate song is the definitive guide on the correct pronunciation

I think the Hot Chocolate song is the definitive guide on the correct pronunciation

Since I've never heard the above song I'm going with the AA Milne poem as the definitive pronunciation.

They might be the same for all I know

I’m afraid there are two ways to pronounce Evelyn too....

To complicate things further, there are actually three:

EEV-lin - traditionally the pronunciation of the male version of Evelyn
EV-ah-lin - the usual female pronunciation
EV-lin - the way it's traditionally pronounced in Ireland

The Hot Chocolate song is Emma.

Until I came on here I had no idea that Evelyn was pronounced Ev-uh-lyn.
I'd heard Eve-lyn and Evlin.

in the South West here - round husband's family it would be pronounced Hemmur-loin... with the added H...

whereas I have a Hannah - pronounced by them as Annur.. dropping the H...

go figure...

Emmeline I would pronounce as Emmeleen not rhyming with Caroline.

Jacqueline I would pronounce as Jack-er-lin but Jacklyn/Jacqlyn i would pronounce as Jacklin.