Pronunciation?

weber145

My husband and I both love Noel (pronounced Knoll) as a first name for a boy.  The main concern we have is that on first reading, people will want to pronounce it Noelle and think that he's a girl.  Honestly, if you saw the name and read it aloud without knowing the child, how would you instinctively want to pronounce it?  Do you think it would work better as a middle name?

The combinations we've been tossing around are Noel Gabriel or Gabriel Noel 

MelissaRae1525

On sight I would pronounce it Noelle and assume girl.

SunshineMuffin

I would pronounce is as No-el (two syllables).   I associate it with "the first Noel..."

tortuga47

SunshineMuffin:

I would pronounce is as No-el (two syllables).   I associate it with "the first Noel..."

If I saw it written - this, because I went to school with two girls who spelled it Noel (No-el). But, I do like your pronunciation of the name and loved the name on the TV show Felicity (I'm dating myself here.) 

ETA-clarification 

blush64

I have known men with that name and females with it spelled Noelle. I woul ponounce it the way you suggested.

Zimger

Your pronunciation is what I would use for a boy. For a girl I would pronounce it No-ell.

baloneydisc

I would pronounce it correctly & know that it's a boy's name. I like the flow of Noel Gabriel better.

led2009

I have seen it as a man's name before so I'd know how to pronounce it. It reminds me of an old school English actor and singer, Noel Coward. That's who I think of when I hear this name.

af1274

elainelbuck:

I would pronounce it correctly & know that it's a boy's name. I like the flow of Noel Gabriel better.

This. I'm actually suprised that so many would see this first as no-el.

strawberrytree

If there is no trema on the E (accent with the two little dots) I would assume the Nole pronunciation. I would only say Noelle if there was an accent, as that changes pronunciation. 

Love this name...on my long list. The double L is the feminine version so I would assume boy as well.  

SandLickinStarfish

PAH-trick

weber145

SandLickinStarfish:

PAH-trick

Helpful.  Thanks. 

AndLyn

Seeing Noel I would assume it was a boy, with the pronunciation you want. As a first name I wouldn't pronounce it Noelle unless it was spelled that way.

ETA: I think Noel Gabriel is a great name! 

juniper19

For a boy I would pronounce it NO-el and a girl is no-EL.

SandLickinStarfish

justAphase:

SandLickinStarfish:

PAH-trick

You say Patrick weird 

Uhhh, you're in TX, right? People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

jennygirlmt

I've only heard the boy's name (and only once or twice at that), I've never seen it written and it's not a name I would ever remember or think about so I would automatically jump to the "First Noel" association (ah, I just googled it and that is the Noel it is derived from). So I automatically pronounced it like the feminine form. Though after this post I'm likely to get it right next time :-) 

mscheevus

I thought it was well know that Noel is pronounce knoll and is masculine. I prefer Gabriel as a first name.

kerribear1717

Definitely NMS but I would say it like knoll because it looks like Joel.  So Joel/Noel same pronunciation.

Notwifezilla7

If I saw Noel - I'd think boy like Noel Gallagher from Oasis or the character from Felicity. 

If I say Noelle- I'd think girl. 

I like Noel Gabriel. 

sweet1600s

Noel is my dad's name! So I would obviously know how to pronounce it haha. I really like both combinations, but Noel Gabriel is my favourite.

TofuMama7

I know a little boy named Noel, so I would know boy and pronounce it the way you intended.

However, since the Christmas song "The First Noel" also spells it that way (and pronounces it like Noelle) there's a chance some people would be confused, but only the first time.

mhickey426

I thought the traditional Noel and not Knoll.  I have a male student named noel and and femal name noelle.  I don't get the Knoll at all from it. 

PinkyFloyd73

elainelbuck:

I would pronounce it correctly & know that it's a boy's name. I like the flow of Noel Gabriel better.

 

All of this. 

BrittKav

I know how to pronounce it because it's one of my favorite names. I wish I could get DH on board.

persephonerose

My nephews middle name is Noel and we have always pronounced it Knoll. I prefer Gabriel Noel for what it is worth, I just like the flow better.

mrsmullins0500

MelissaRae1525:

On sight I would pronounce it Noelle and assume girl.

agreed.

this decaf life

Even though I know that spelling is masculine I would pronounce it like the girl name Noelle. I also see the same problem with Gabriel - like the girl name with the NN Gabby

 

jupiterthecat

I would assume Knoll pronunciation/ male unless it was Noelle (female spelling- No-ELL). But I actually know of a guy named Noel who pronounces it No-ELL. He's got a Spanish last name so maybe he uses the Spanish pronunciation? 

salt78

So long as I knew it was a boy, I would say it correctly. 

NaeTeaspoon

Not sure if the No-el pronunciation is an American thing cos in all the (non-American) English-speaking countries I've been/lived it is fairly common and always pronounced Noel (knoll)

Hope that helps

PS I like it!

bumpuser2505903

My brother's name is Nole spelled this way. My mom wanted to reduce the chance of him being called Noelle. Although it's not the traditional spelling it doesn't scream you-neek to me and it has helped with pronunciation. 

FWIW, my brother totally fits the name, very cool guy!  

weber145

BrittKav:

I know how to pronounce it because it's one of my favorite names. I wish I could get DH on board.

Your daughter (Anneliese) and I have the same name!

 And thank you everyone for the input

PhilsWife07

I would presume Noel was a boy pronounced like Knoll.

FirstBabyMomma

elainelbuck:

I would pronounce it correctly & know that it's a boy's name. I like the flow of Noel Gabriel better.

Me too. 

Kdrake8

MelissaRae1525:

On sight I would pronounce it Noelle and assume girl.

This.  

Bec20

Being from a country where everybody has to take French until Grade 9, I can say it is obviously male ("-el" is male while "-elle" is female) and that it is the French word for Christmas, which is pronounced "No-EL".  You'd be hard-pressed to find somebody who would pronounce it Nholl if people have a knowledge of French around you.

jennipea382

I'm kind of surprised people don't seem to know the name Noel. It CAN be pronounced "no-ell" but I've only ever heard the "nole" pronunciation, like Joel. I thought it was common enough in the US that people recognized it and could pronounce it but maybe not O_o

tlh03

I'd assume it were a girl as well. How about Joel? I love that name so much!