Baby Names

-lyn vs -line

Okay so this has been a "thing" with me for years!

When you seen Madeline or Caroline, how do you automatically pronounce them?

In my head I pronounce them like Caro-lynn and Madel-lynn.

I really don't like the name Madeline pronounced Mada-line and I'm partial to the name Caroline pronounced similarly.

But how else do you spell them? Madelyn/ Carolyn? I think they look kind silly spelled like that! Is it inevitable that I would need to spell these two names like that, or else we'd constantly be correcting everyone on the pronunciation?

These two names always send me into a tail spin because I love them but the pronunciations vs. spellings... ugh!

 

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Re: -lyn vs -line

  • If I wanted the lyn sound, I would spell them Madelyn and Carolyn.
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  • I pronounce Madeline- Mada-lynn and Caroline- Caro-line. I think Caroline will always be mispronounced if you wanted it to sound more like Caro-lynn, but Madeline has always been Mada-lynn to me and everyone else I know.
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  • This is how it is for me...

    Caroline-LINE

    Carolyn- LYNN

    Madeline/Madeleine- LYNN, unless it is in the children's book.

    Celine, like Celine Dion- LEEN

    Adeline- LYNN

    Emmeline-LEEN

     

  • Caroline is Caro-line but I think Madeline could go either way. 
  • imageAEN1029:
    I pronounce Madeline- Mada-lynn and Caroline- Caro-line. I think Caroline will always be mispronounced if you wanted it to sound more like Caro-lynn, but Madeline has always been Mada-lynn to me and everyone else I know.

    This exactly.  I see how it's hypocritical though since they both end in -line, but I definitely pronounce them differently.  Maybe it's a regional thing?

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  • imagekayjay10:

    imageAEN1029:
    I pronounce Madeline- Mada-lynn and Caroline- Caro-line. I think Caroline will always be mispronounced if you wanted it to sound more like Caro-lynn, but Madeline has always been Mada-lynn to me and everyone else I know.

    This exactly.  I see how it's hypocritical though since they both end in -line, but I definitely pronounce them differently.  Maybe it's a regional thing?

    I was thinking the same thing. It may just depend on where you live.

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  • imageAEN1029:
    I pronounce Madeline- Mada-lynn and Caroline- Caro-line. I think Caroline will always be mispronounced if you wanted it to sound more like Caro-lynn, but Madeline has always been Mada-lynn to me and everyone else I know.

    Yes 

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  • Sigh.  This is why I've been wavering on using Caroline if it's a girl.  I like it pronounced care-oh-line, not -lynn.  I feel like that's what the spelling Carolyn is for.

    With Madeline, I pronounce it usually mad-eh-lynn, but I would not be surprised to be corrected.  

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  • imageWashingtonQueen:
    If I wanted the lyn sound, I would spell them Madelyn and Carolyn.

    This. They are different names.

  • Caroline here. Pronounced Caro line. But about 75 of the time people pronounce it with the lynn ending. I think Carolyn and Caroline are two different names.
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  • Carolyn and Caroline are definitely different names. Madeline is a question, because in that case, you're right, Madelyn doesn't look quite right and I've never seen/heard of it being spelled that way, so it does seem silly. However, I don't think Carolyn seems silly at all, and it is a pretty common name. 
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  • imageAEN1029:
    I pronounce Madeline- Mada-lynn and Caroline- Caro-line. I think Caroline will always be mispronounced if you wanted it to sound more like Caro-lynn, but Madeline has always been Mada-lynn to me and everyone else I know.

     This!

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  • imageLittledeer84:
    Caroline here. Pronounced Caro line. But about 75 of the time people pronounce it with the lynn ending. I think Carolyn and Caroline are two different names.

    My boss is Carolyn and about half of her phone calls ask to speak with Caro-line.

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  • LINE is how I would pronounce those names...

    If you want the 'LYN' sound, to avoid having to correct people I would spell it LYN.
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  • This is the same thing my husband and I have been going back and forth on.  I want it pronounced Mad-uh-lynn and so I want it spelled the way it sounds. He thinks Madeline is a classier spelling. I just dont want to correct people all the time. It is seriously half and half when you ask someone how they would pronounce Madeline. I dont know if we will agree on a spelling but I dont want to have to pick a new name. I dont know what to do. I'm wondering if I should give in cause I'm just happy that he liked the name I picked.
  • imageFianschneid:

    imageWashingtonQueen:
    If I wanted the lyn sound, I would spell them Madelyn and Carolyn.

    This. They are different names.

    Yup

     

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  • Okay so see I think I feel the same about Caroline/Carolyn, they really seem like two different names and I know 3 Carolines and they are all pronounced like majority of you said with the -line ending. I don't like Madelyn, it doesn't look right... and I hadn't thought about this before but I know of 2 Madeline's and they do actually pronounce their names with the -lyn ending....

    hmmm I'll have to do some more research like PP suggested and see. 

    I also like that Madeline was my Great-Grandmother's name... I just don't know if it was her fn or mn or how it was pronounced, although I believe it was with the -lyn ending too. 

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  • I am glad to see that people were helpful here. I posted something similar to the comment I posted to your question before on the board I'm on and someone started a new post making fun of me. Good Luck with the name.
  • You want the Madeleine spelling. There is no option for Carolyn.

    Madeline =Line

    Madeleine/Madelyn =Lynn

    Caroline = Line

    Carolyn =Lynn

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  • We are using Caroline...pronounced line. I have only had one person ask me how to pronounce Caroline and when I told her Cara-line, she said "that's what I thought." Carolyn is a different name.
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  • imagefitzpemberley:

    Sigh.  This is why I've been wavering on using Caroline if it's a girl.  I like it pronounced care-oh-line, not -lynn.  I feel like that's what the spelling Carolyn is for.

    We are using Caroline and we announced her name a while ago. I haven't had one person mispronounce it. Go for it! :)

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  • We wanted the -lyn pronunciation for DD, so we spelled her name Carolyn.  People STILL say Caro-LINE or ask me how to pronounce her name, but hopefully we at least cut down on some pronunciation problems.  I know in the South Caroline is pronounced Caro-LINE, but in the Midwest Caroline can have the -lyn pronunciation.
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