Noelle...apparently people don't get it...

mattschic

So we kept the name a surprise from everyone and on Tuesday I had a girl who we named Noelle Clara. Well EVERYONE, including the nursing staff thinks it's spelled Noel, like "the first Noel"..they even spelled it that way on the card in her bassinet and we had to get it fixed...I keep having to explain that the feminine form of the name is Noelle...Noel is pronounced "nole" and is a male name. Am I right??? Did I just saddle my daughter with a name she's going to have to explain all of the time???

brooklynesque

Congratulations!  I don't think Noelle is unusual enough to cause much trouble.  There may be some people who have to see it written out first but they'll get the hang of it.  There will also always be some people who can't spell to save their lives and would have trouble with almost any name.  I don't think you should second-guess your choice; it's a nice name.

stahlop

When I see this I think No-ell in pronounciation.  But I had a female friend named Noel and she pronounced it the feminine way.  Maybe people pronounce Noel wrong because of the song "The First Noel".

Notwifezilla7

Where did you deliver? I live outside Philly in the Jersey side.

Anyway, Noelle is common enough for those to spell it correctly.

I would actually have been less surprised if you had had a boy, named it Noel, and they spelled it Noelle.

mattschic

Lower bucks hospital

Keri Marie

I always assume Noel but that's how it's spelled in my family (French).

RizziB

First, I love the name Noelle and am considering it for my baby girl!  I knew a man named Noel and it was pronounced "nole."  I don't think it's a hard name to figure out.  FWIW, I have a name that I always have to spell and/or explain and it really isn't that big of a deal.  I love my name and don't feel burdened at all!

l_elizabeth

I heart you because you actually get it. We wanted to name our next son Noel, but there are so many morons out there who constantly said "no-elle??????" So we gave up on the name, even though I still adore it. I also really love Noelle, spelled Noelle, for a girl. But they are two different names in my opinion, and Noel should be left to the boys!

Congrats on your little girl!! Beautiful name!

jgengo0

My niece is named Noelle. Everyone (she lives in WI) seems to know that Noelle is the feminine version and has no trouble with the spelling. Hopefully it was just that handful of people that are unfamiliar with it...You would hope so

jolynn326

Congratulations! What a beautiful name! We named DD Noelle Irene, and our runner-up name was Claire

So far, I think I've only seen DD's name spelled incorrectly once. The spelling hasn't been a big deal for us at all. I am SO sad for you that it has been for you.

Hopefully it will pass

cwie828

Well no...but my middle name is Noel and it is pronounced Noelle so I will disagree with that part of it. That's why the Christmas song is spelled "the first Noel." Noel pronounced NOLE is also spelled that way but Noel is a real name. Your spelling is the more feminine spelling though...I think once you announce her name to friends and family they will just "get" how it is spelled, ya know? BTW beautiful name.

wntrgrl83

Notwifezilla7:

Where did you deliver? I live outside Philly in the Jersey side.

Anyway, Noelle is common enough for those to spell it correctly.

I would actually have been less surprised if you had had a boy, named it Noel, and they spelled it Noelle.

I live in Jersey too-- very close to Philly and closer to Lower Bucks! I really like the name Noelle ( I will be using it for a middle name for a girl - if thats what I am having)... I see it as No-Ell... Very feminine, and I'm not sure why they messed it up?!

bcnoelle

My name is Noelle and some people don't get it, but most do. I don't mind if they spell it wrong on say my starbucks cup and have always been happy w my name:)

ryry1977

Noelle is pretty popular right now and I don't think you will have any problems at all.

shannm

Congrats!  I am surprised about the trouble you are having.  Noelle is on our short list and I wouldn't have suspected an issue.

kerribear1717

I see Noelle as a girl's name and Noel is a song.  Congrats on your DD!

sleeping5beauty

The boy name spelling is Noel, but the girl name spelling is Noelle. I actually know a girl named Noelle.

DawnJM25

I think it's a beautiful name, and if you told me your daughter's name I would spell it just like you do. 

pumpkinspice4321

I have never really thought about this name before but it is pretty so any trouble it causes is worth it! Congrats!

karencz

kerribear1717:

I see Noelle as a girl's name and Noel is a song.  Congrats on your DD!

All of this!! I don't really think of Noel as a boy's name, I just think of Christmas.

PrincessFiona9

XSIL's mn is Noel and pronounced No-ELL. But it drives me crazy because I strongly believe the girl's name should be spelled Noelle

JNoelleE

My middle name is Noelle, and I know a girl named Noelle. Its common to have it spelled that way too. But Noel is pronounced the same, just a different spelling. Nole is spelled Nole.

acia

Well, if you want to get technical, the male name Noel is usually pronounced "Nole" (though I've also heard it as "No-uhl"). But Noel with an umlaut (the two little dots over top of the letter e) is the French word for Christmas, and is pronounced No-elle.

I could see there being some confusion, but since you live in a country that doesn't have French as one of the primary languages, I doubt it will cause too many problems.

PeridotEyes

Noelle is our DD's mn and I've had to explain it quite a bit. Some people actually believe its a "trendy" spelling if you can believe that! Christmas was part of the special reason we chose her name and most people say "if her name is Noelle why didn't you just spell it the 'right' way like for Christmas?"

THOSE are the ppl who want to gift her with "Noel" ornaments every holiday season!

Others say there are "too many e's" in her name so we should have spelled it "the Christmas way"

 

Yea. Morons.