How to pronounce Amelie?

magpie1127

I pronounce it AHM-uh-lee in my head, because Nameberry told me to. However, as someone who's familiar with French, I'm tempted to put the accent on the last syllable (ahm-eh-LEE). How do you all pronounce it?

ETA: Also, do you think it would have pronunciation issues in the "real world"? 

plunderb

I can't figure out a good way to describe it, but here are some clips from the movie w/ Audrey Tatou:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sECzJY07oK4

Manateearmz

plunderb:

I can't figure out a good way to describe it, but here are some clips from the movie w/ Audrey Tatou:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sECzJY07oK4

This is exactly what I was going to suggest. 

magpie1127

So, the accent seems to by on the last syllable, but it's not a strong, hard accent. How do people Americanize this name without butchering it?

plunderb

I think English speakers will pronounce it the way you noted in your first post ? with the emphasis on the first syllable.

magpie1127

plunderb:

I think English speakers will pronounce it the way you noted in your first post ? with the emphasis on the first syllable.

I think you're probably right. It's a beautiful name - I just can't quite lay my finger on the pronunciation...

ObLaDi

It's a beautiful name (and that trailer made me really want to watch the movie again!).

There's a girl on my BMB who's using it.

Listening to the trailer, I'd almost describe it as all syllables having equal weight. I think the way you originally describe it is a descent approximation, though. 

MoreThanABride

There is a girl in my DD's class (2 years old) with that name. I have always heard it pronounced with all the syllables having about equal weight. Maybe a little more accent at the beginning. Everyone pronounces it just like Emily, just with the "ah" instead of "em" sound.

ThatWasAHoot

AH-meh-lee

g8trkim

I pronounce it like the French girl in the movie... Ahh (like when you stick your tongue out for the doctor)-muh-lee.

abbieaggie

Love this name but not sure I would ever pronounce it correctly.

Rdautenhahn

plunderb:

I can't figure out a good way to describe it, but here are some clips from the movie w/ Audrey Tatou:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sECzJY07oK4

If anyone in the bump world has not seen this one, they need to. Beautiful movie. Beautiful name.  

quidditchcapn1120

I have a friend who named their DD this (they were living in Paris at the time and it was just the norm for them) and they pronounce it like Emily but with an Ah at the beginning.

Worcbride

I know someone named Amelie--she pronounces it like in the movie Ahh-ma-lee

kmichln

I pronounced it Ah-meh-lee

robinson1973

I know this is an old post, but I cannot resist.  It is pronounced with equal weight: Ah-May-Lee, if you are using the french spelling and pronounciation Amélie. 

4N6s

I've never heard the name pronounced, but it looks like am-uh-lee?

sagegoodenough

I always think ah-me-lee

catwine

Om-ah-LEE is how I'd say it and I'm not French.

FutureMrsB.

Native French speaker here... The thing is, in French, the name gets spelled with an accent aigu (é) so Amélie. So it'd be pronounced Ah-May-lee. I'm not sure how it'd be pronounced without the accent, in English. We just chose Amelia for DD #1 and pronounce her name Ah-May-lia when we say it in French.