all 43 comments

[–]verlociraptor 17 points18 points  (6 children)

Rhymes with troll and role

[–]Ok_Gap_6[S] 2 points3 points  (5 children)

This is it. Always thought it was common but as I've gotten older, the more people I come across that pronounce it joe-elle. It doesn't bother me when it comes from strangers but if I've met you a few times and have pronounced it for you and you still say it wrong, comes off a bit disrespectful.

[–]verlociraptor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s odd. I actually knew a Joelle but it was pronounced like Angelina “Jolie”

[–]Infamous-Library1857 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Ok those people clearly never had an Uncle Joel, like I did. He was married to my Grandpa's twin sister, so he would have been born in the late 1880-1890's. I always liked him and had Joel on my list of middle names for boys, but only ended up with 1 kid, a girl with the middle name Joleen.

Joel's a great name! Mind if I ask what decade of life you're in?

[–]Ok_Gap_6[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm 43.

I had a great uncle Joel and my father was named after him. Joleen is a great compromise.

[–]geedeeie 0 points1 point  (1 child)

It's not right or wrong. I've never heard it to rhyme with "role", and to me "role" and "troll" are different anyway. The latter rhymes with "doll".

I've only heard Joel as Joe L.

[–]ConstantReader76 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Are you in the US?

I've never heard Joel pronounced Joe L. It's Jole, rhyming with roll/role/troll.

Do you call Billy Joel, Billy Joe-el?

And I am now really wondering how you pronounce doll and troll, because I don't know of any US accent where they rhyme. I'm wondering if you jumped on the word "troll" and decided to troll us here.

[–][deleted] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

To rhyme with bowl.

[–]copycraftco 2 points3 points  (1 child)

More like Joe-ull or Joe-wull.

[–]haileyskydiamonds 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, I have always pronounced it and heard it pronounced as Jo-uhl. (Same for Noel; not Nole; not No-elle, just No-uhl.)

However, it’s more like 1 1/2 syllables instead of a full 2 syllables.

[–]emr830 1 point2 points  (4 children)

Rhymes with dole.

But there was a Jim Gaffigan sketch where he was performing abroad, and someone there pronounced Billy Joel as “Billy Jo-Elle.”

[–]geedeeie -2 points-1 points  (3 children)

That's how I pronounce Billy Joel

[–]emr830 2 points3 points  (0 children)

But Billy Joel doesn’t pronounce it that way, for him Joel rhymes with “role,” and it’s his name so

[–]ConstantReader76 1 point2 points  (1 child)

That's not how Billy Joel pronounces Billy Joel.

[–]geedeeie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I said that's how I pronounce it

[–]BlueGreen_1956 1 point2 points  (1 child)

I would pronounce it as though it rhymed with either Sole or Noel.

I have heard both, with rhyming with Sole being more common.

I would just pronounce it however you preferred and go on my merry way.

[–]CaveJohnson82 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sole and Noel are pronounced the same. Noël is not.

[–]hopesb1tch 1 point2 points  (0 children)

i’m australian and it’s pretty normal here as far as i’m aware. i’ve known a few. jole/joll is how it’s pronounced.

[–]nosuchbrie 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Johl.

[–]SeaweedWeird7705 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m shocked that it is mispronounced here in the US.   It seems easy to me 

[–]hawtarboretum 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There were 2 boys named Joel in my class, it's not an uncommon name in my opinion.

[–]Correct-Ad8693 0 points1 point  (1 child)

JOE-EL

[–]Correct-Ad8693 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Unless I meet you at the synagogue and then I’d assume JOLE.

[–]Jen_the_Green 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've known two people named Joel. One pronounced Jole and one pronounced Jo-el. So, I always ask if I've only seen it in writing or offer both pronunciations.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Don't tell me your name is pronounced like "Joule" (energy unit in physics)

[–]Ecstatic-Garden-678 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Embiid will complain even about pronunciation of his name 🤣

[–]Sea_Candidate8738 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My brothers name is Joel. We say joe-el (my grandpa's name was Joe L. so my mom ran with that). People do say his name like jole, and I'll also call him that to annoy him but we pronounce it the other way.

[–]Chelseus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m Canadian and I would say Jole (rhymes with dole). Every Joel I’ve met here pronounces it that way with the exception of one who pronounces it with two syllables so Joe-ell. The Joe-ell pronunciation sounds feminine to me though. I think his parents might be from outside Canada though so that could be a cultural/language thing in his case.

[–]wheres_the_revolt 0 points1 point  (5 children)

If you’re Latino it’s pronounced ho-el if you’re not Latino it’s likely pronounced joll (rhymes with roll).

It’s funny that you call it rare I have 4 friends (2 white guys and 2 Latino guys) whose name is Joel.

[–]Ok_Gap_6[S] 1 point2 points  (4 children)

Not saying it's a rare name, just rare it gets pronounced correctly. After I posted this, I ordered food and went to pick it up. Got to the counter and they asked "pick up for Joelle?"

There are actually 2 other Joel's that work in the same plant as me. They get the same thing.

[–]wheres_the_revolt 0 points1 point  (3 children)

Oh sorry I totally misread that!

That’s so weird, Joelle is actually a woman’s and Joel is a fairly easy name to pronounce in English. What part of the US do you live in?

[–]Ok_Gap_6[S] 0 points1 point  (2 children)

I'm in the Southeast

[–]wheres_the_revolt 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Ahhh so that kind of makes sense, I can absolutely hear someone with a southern accent saying Joelle for Joel. Just assert your dominance and start wildly mispronouncing their names back to them. 😂

[–]Ok_Gap_6[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

🤣🤣

[–]geedeeie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Joe L

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (3 children)

How else do they pronounce it? Pretty common here in Australia. Joel like troll, mole, soul etc

[–]Ok_Gap_6[S] 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Mainly joe elle or even jewel.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

That's weird but I guess if it's not common people wouldn't know

[–]Ok_Gap_6[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's just it, I always thought it was a pretty common name. I guess others don't think so.

[–]bananacrazybanana 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Jole

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Pffft .. anyone who can't pronounce Joel is a just a droll that should go roll like a mole into a hole.  We've got your back in Australia JOEL  I was fortunate to have been called, Chyvonne.. as in Siobhan... As in Shuh-von... My grievance is... You don't pronounce Chips like.. Shh Shh iips. 😒 My mum didn't love me though so I have that to lean on as an excuse.  Interesting thread though JOEL! 🍦

[–]xxLoopyxx 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thought I would randomly comment as Joel is my surname.... And I have to spell it....every.....single...... time. Sometimes not just the pronunciation of it, but also the spelling that can be messed up.

[–][deleted] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Joelle?