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Help[Opinions] Madeleine
I love the actual pronunciation of this name. Though I think most Americans would mistakenly pronounce it with a lyn or line. What are your thoughts? Who out there is aware of how it is truly pronounced? Are there enough of us? Maybe it won't be so bad once people begin to know her with the correct pronunciation like at school and among friends.
My name is Kayla and I get Kyla half the time. Doesn't bother me too much. Sometimes I don't even correct the person if I'm never going to see them again.
Thanks!
My name is Kayla and I get Kyla half the time. Doesn't bother me too much. Sometimes I don't even correct the person if I'm never going to see them again.
Thanks!
This message was edited 3/29/2012, 11:34 PM
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I'm with you in that I prefer the LEN ending of Madeleine. I realize the majority of people where I live would most likely pronounce it LYN and I'm okay with that, I guess. As long as the immediate family pronounced it correctly, that would be good enough for me.
My thoughts: I love Madeleine. This is by far my fave spelling and I've definitely considered it for a mn. It's just a tad too common for me to use as a fn especially when I factor in the girls named Madison (of all spellings). Can't say I'm too wild about Maddie, however, I understand how easily this nn would come about.
My thoughts: I love Madeleine. This is by far my fave spelling and I've definitely considered it for a mn. It's just a tad too common for me to use as a fn especially when I factor in the girls named Madison (of all spellings). Can't say I'm too wild about Maddie, however, I understand how easily this nn would come about.
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Hey guys, how about Madalena? I like the a at the end and it reflects the 'Lain" pronunciation.
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I think it's gorgeous, but I prefer it spelled Madelena. The first time I heard of the name was when I met a girl (probably early 20's now) in a predominately French part of Canada a few years ago, and I've loved it ever since!
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I love Madeleine pronounced ma-də-LEN. I also like it when it's pronounced MAD-ə-lin, but I can see how you would prefer it pronounced ma-də-LEN. ma-də-LEN isn't too far off from MAD-ə-lin, so people would probably be able to catch on.
That's interesting that you are called Kyla so often. Kayla is much more popular than Kyla, so I could see how a Kyla would be called Kayla or even Kylie on a frequent basis, but the other way around seems less likely. Kayla and Kyla are close, so a mix up like that doesn't seem all that strange, though.
That's interesting that you are called Kyla so often. Kayla is much more popular than Kyla, so I could see how a Kyla would be called Kayla or even Kylie on a frequent basis, but the other way around seems less likely. Kayla and Kyla are close, so a mix up like that doesn't seem all that strange, though.
This message was edited 3/30/2012, 8:05 AM
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Madeleine is my favorite spelling of the name, and I love how simple and pretty it sounds in French, and I love putting the emphasis on the final syllable. I wouldn't use it here, though, unless I was willing to accept a more English pronunciation of the name.
My theory is that it's always easier to enforce a more authentic pronunciation if the name itself is unfamiliar. Most people who see Athénaïs, Colombe, and Dieudonné would be clueless, and you'd have the opportunity to guide them to the pronunciation you want. With names like Madeleine, Genevieve, and Laurence, on the other hand, people already "know" how to pronounce them. They're well-established names in English and have English pronunciations already on deck, so to speak. Wringing mad-LEN or mad-eh-LEN out of most Americans would be both difficult and frustrating.
My theory is that it's always easier to enforce a more authentic pronunciation if the name itself is unfamiliar. Most people who see Athénaïs, Colombe, and Dieudonné would be clueless, and you'd have the opportunity to guide them to the pronunciation you want. With names like Madeleine, Genevieve, and Laurence, on the other hand, people already "know" how to pronounce them. They're well-established names in English and have English pronunciations already on deck, so to speak. Wringing mad-LEN or mad-eh-LEN out of most Americans would be both difficult and frustrating.
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I'd want to pronounce it Mad-de la in. Lain would be one syllable, but with a slight pause as with my daughter Violet's name. It's two syllables but has a slight pause in the middle Vi-e-let.
Anyone who reads my name pronounces it wrong, but that's the only time. So I think the issue would solely lie there. Reading and writing it.
Anyone who reads my name pronounces it wrong, but that's the only time. So I think the issue would solely lie there. Reading and writing it.
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Maybe you'd like Madelaine, the spelling David Duchovny and Tea Leoni used for their daughter. It would highlight the non-standard -lain ending, at least, and reduce confusion.
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I think it will never be pronounced the French way in an English speaking country. Yes, she could correct people but it would be annoying because the English pronunciation is so common. It would be like naming her Hannah and pronouncing it HAHNN-na. I think it wouldn't work.
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I don't know about that
I know lots of Hannahs where it's pronounced HAHN-nah, though I grew up in a very Orthodox Jewish area. I remember teachers asking the first day of class whether it was HAHN-nah or HAN-nah, it's actually the pronunciation I think of first, especially on a Jewish family. Actually, a lot of the time the problem was the Ch pronunciation for Channah / Chana that people just can't say. It just depends where you are, in some stereotypical suburb out in the midwest, probably not going to work. But if you're from a place where pronunciation variants are common, not as much of a problem. That said, people are still going to do it, especially just reading it off a piece of paper. I don't know anything about the OP, but if they have a French last name or live in a very French-Canadian area, I feel like they can pull it off.
But I'm confused, what exactly is the correct pronunciation? Whenever I've seen Madeleine, it has been pronounced like ma-də-LEN or MAD-ə-len so I think the first is probably doable. Mad-LEN probably not.
I know lots of Hannahs where it's pronounced HAHN-nah, though I grew up in a very Orthodox Jewish area. I remember teachers asking the first day of class whether it was HAHN-nah or HAN-nah, it's actually the pronunciation I think of first, especially on a Jewish family. Actually, a lot of the time the problem was the Ch pronunciation for Channah / Chana that people just can't say. It just depends where you are, in some stereotypical suburb out in the midwest, probably not going to work. But if you're from a place where pronunciation variants are common, not as much of a problem. That said, people are still going to do it, especially just reading it off a piece of paper. I don't know anything about the OP, but if they have a French last name or live in a very French-Canadian area, I feel like they can pull it off.
But I'm confused, what exactly is the correct pronunciation? Whenever I've seen Madeleine, it has been pronounced like ma-də-LEN or MAD-ə-len so I think the first is probably doable. Mad-LEN probably not.
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Yeah but I think that's because you grew up in an Orthodox Jewish area. I don't see that happening anywhere else. Especially not with Hannah, I would say it's HANN-a to at least 90 percent of the population. My dad is German and it's pronounced HAHN-na in German but even he would pronounce it HANN-a if he met one in the US.
My mom is French. The most common pronunciation is definitely mahd-eh-LENN. The eh is extremely short. Some people say mad-LEN but that is less common. It depends on your accent.
I pronounce Madeleine mahd-eh-LENN when I'm in France. If I met on in the US I would pronounce it MAD-eh-linn.
If I met a Madeline in France I would say mah-deh-LEEN. In English MAD-eh-linn.
Madeleine, Madeline, Madelyn: I'd pronounce them ALL MAD-eh-linn in an English speaking country. And I'm bilingual. So I just can't see it working unless you live in an area where many people speak French. And then it would probably be considered very dated, it was used a lot a couple of decades ago and hasn't made a comeback. Madeline would definitely be the more modern option (in France).
I love Madeline. I like Madeleine as well. Can't stand Madelyn.
My mom is French. The most common pronunciation is definitely mahd-eh-LENN. The eh is extremely short. Some people say mad-LEN but that is less common. It depends on your accent.
I pronounce Madeleine mahd-eh-LENN when I'm in France. If I met on in the US I would pronounce it MAD-eh-linn.
If I met a Madeline in France I would say mah-deh-LEEN. In English MAD-eh-linn.
Madeleine, Madeline, Madelyn: I'd pronounce them ALL MAD-eh-linn in an English speaking country. And I'm bilingual. So I just can't see it working unless you live in an area where many people speak French. And then it would probably be considered very dated, it was used a lot a couple of decades ago and hasn't made a comeback. Madeline would definitely be the more modern option (in France).
I love Madeline. I like Madeleine as well. Can't stand Madelyn.
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I live in Boulder, Colorado. We rarely see phonically altered or creative names here. We rarely see names that are loved in the midwest. There's lots of cool antique names like Imogene and Atticus. Though we aren't very diverse. Lots of well-to-do hipsters.
This message was edited 3/30/2012, 7:38 AM
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I thought the -lyn and -line pronunciations were valid? My first instinct would be to say MAD-e-line but I wouldn't be surprised to be corrected. And this is coming from someone who only knows one Madeleine, and she's French so we do pronounce it mad-LEN.
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Mad-de-len or Mad-de-lain. I like the second way. I'm wouldn't want the french pronunciation.
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Unless I made a conscious effort, Mad-de-len and Mad-de-lin come out the same when I same them. I have to catch myself and say it slowly to get a clear -len or -lain sound at the end.
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I know how to prn it, but I have tons of friends named Madeleine and also an aunt named Madelaine. It's a very common name in Sweden where I live.
I can't say I love the name, but it's okay.
I can't say I love the name, but it's okay.
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