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I prefer Noel as a unisex name (two syllables, but only just). I know a Noelle and the sound really doesn't appeal, though she's a pleasant person and carries it off well. My friend's sister-in-law is Noel, and I like that much better. I don't associate it with a particular religious position or a December birth.

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Noelle, with the emphasis on the EL, reminds me of a crossword puzzle clue that has become legendary: on December 24 one year, an English newspaper gave as one of its clues: abcdefghijkmnopqrstuvwxyz (4 letters). The answer was Noel.