appreciate your thoughts ...

[name]Hi[/name] - I love this site!

I was wondering your opinion on [name]Madelaine[/name] nn [name]Maddie[/name] or [name]Lainey[/name] vs. [name]Madeleine[/name] (mad-a-line? or mad-a-leen? … I’m worried about mis-pronunciation her whole life). I do not like [name]Madelyn[/name] as well.

Also, I really like [name]Amara[/name] … again though I am worried about pronunciation … some people say “a - [name]MAR[/name] - ah” and some say “a-[name]MAIR[/name]-ah” … thoughts?

Thanks much!!

I love [name]Madelaine[/name]! It’s a sweet twist on an equally sweet name…it’s unique without sounding made-up. :slight_smile: [name]Maddie[/name] and [name]Lainey[/name] are cute nicknames…personally, I would go with [name]Lainey[/name]. It’s less common than [name]Maddie[/name] and it showcases “Madelaine”, which wouldn’t go so well with [name]Madeleine[/name] (Leiney or Liney just doesn’t sound the same…).

However, I do like [name]Madeleine[/name] also, however you opt to pronounce it.

I’ve always liked [name]Amara[/name] (Uh-[name]MAR[/name]-Uh, in my reckoning), as well. I have a good association with that one! :slight_smile:

I think [name]Madelaine[/name]/[name]Madeleine[/name]/[name]Madeline[/name] is a pretty name, although it’s very popular at the moment.

It’s a tricky name when it comes to pronunciation, though.

[name]Madelaine[/name] is lovely, and I like the laine twist.

The French [name]Madeleine[/name], as far as I’ve always known, is actually pronounced mad-uh-lynn, while [name]Madeline[/name] is actually mad-uh-line (rhymes with wine). In the U.S., though, most people have it reversed, which makes it confusing.

I have a friend with a [name]Madeline[/name] (pronounced Mad-uh-line–rhymes with wine), and she hates it how people mispronounce her little girl’s name. She named her baby after [name]Madeline[/name], the children’s book, which is pronounced mad-uh-line.

If you’re going to call her [name]Maddie[/name], though, I don’t think [name]Madeleine[/name]'s pronunciation is as important as it would be if you were going to address her by her full name.

All of the variations (aside from [name]Madelyn[/name], I agree) are lovely! :slight_smile:

[name]Amara[/name]'s not my style but I do see its appeal. I pronounce it as you do, [name]Ah[/name]-[name]MAR[/name]-uh.

[name]Welcome[/name] to Nameberry! :slight_smile:

Actually, [name]Jill[/name], the French pronounce it more along the lines of madda-LANN. Perhaps this is why the [name]Madeline[/name] books drive me nuts-- the rhyme is all off! :o ([name]Madeleine[/name] is also, incidentally, a rather tasty cookie.)

I suppose I was trying to get across the whole “[name]Madeleine[/name] isn’t pronounced mad-uh-[name]LINE[/name]” thing. My best friend (who is French) pronounces it Mad-LEHN, as does her family, and non-French speakers have turned it into [name]Mada[/name]-lynn. In the [name]Madeline[/name] movie (and logically, the books), her name was pronounced Mad-uh-[name]LINE[/name], to rhyme with vine.

The bottom line, is that pronunciations of both [name]Madeline[/name] and [name]Madeline[/name] are all over the map, so one needs to be aware of this when using either name!