The only name so far that hubby is ok with is [name_f]Elle[/name_f] (pronounced like the letter L). I am unsure if this is actually a name, and how you would spell it.
I feel like people would pronounce [name_f]Elle[/name_f] as [name_f]Ella[/name_f] or just think we spelled [name_f]Ella[/name_f] a different way.
Thoughts?
Ps. I have 3 boys. [name_u]Jesse[/name_u], [name_u]Owen[/name_u], [name_u]Shea[/name_u] (pronounced [name_u]Shaye[/name_u])
[name_u]Shea[/name_u] is the reason I am concerned about the spelling and pronunciation as I am often correcting people who pronounce it She-A.
Thanks!
I think you’d be fine with [name_f]Elle[/name_f]. I wouldn’t think anyone could mess it up (although there are sometimes a few). I’d definitely leave it as [name_f]Elle[/name_f]; all other spellings are more likely to be mispronounced.
(If you live in an English-speaking country,) I highly doubt you’ll have many pronunciation problems with [name_f]Elle[/name_f]. People can mess anything up, but it’s pretty intuitive. Here in [name_f]Canada[/name_f] most people would recognize it as the [name_m]French[/name_m] word “elle” meaning “she” and thus know the pronunciation. And Legally Blonde’s [name_f]Elle[/name_f] Woods… or perhaps I just watched that movie way too many times as a child?
I think you are fine with [name_f]Elle[/name_f] (the [name_m]French[/name_m] word for she, [name_f]Elle[/name_f] Woods of Legally Blonde and the fashion magazine). You have the correct spelling, and it is a legitimate name- simple and classy. [name_m]Just[/name_m] don’t move to [name_f]France[/name_f] (it is akin to naming your daughter She, in English :)). [name_f]Elle[/name_f] is the correct spelling and the most straight forward- you may get some who mispronounce it, but they really shouldn’t (my sister, [name_u]Eden[/name_u], has had her name pronounced eh-den, and I have had sop-hee once or twice. [name_f]My[/name_f] name is [name_f]Sophie[/name_f].).
I love [name_f]Elle[/name_f]. I have [name_f]Elle[/name_f] [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] on my long list. I do go back and fourth whether I think it can stand alone or needs to be a nickname (it can be a nickname to so many names). I would not use any other spelling besides [name_f]Elle[/name_f], [name_f]Elle[/name_f] is the known spelling.
A little, targeted internet research easily pops up that “[name_f]Elle[/name_f] is a diminutive form of [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] and other [name_f]El[/name_f]- names. This name can also be given in reference to the [name_m]French[/name_m] pronoun elle meaning she”.
In the US it ranked as 408 in 2013 and has been safely within the top 700 since 2002.
I think in most western countries you’d be safe to assume that most people would know how to pronounce it. I think [name_f]Elle[/name_f] Fanning ([name_u]Dakota[/name_u] Fanning’s little sister), [name_f]Elle[/name_f]: Fashion Magazine, and [name_f]Elle[/name_f] Woods from Legally Blond have left a strong enough impression on the social conscious for it not to be too much of an issue.
Sources: Meaning, origin and history of the name Elle - Behind the Name & http://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi
[name_f]Elle[/name_f] is a legitimate name in the U.S. and I’m not aware of anyone having problems pronouncing it. Where do you live? I wouldn’t think there would be an issue, frankly.
I adore [name_f]Elle[/name_f]. And no, I don’t think you’ll get any pronunciation problems. I say go for it. 
I like [name_f]Elle[/name_f]. I think it’s one of those names that’s deceptively complicated… I went to college with a girl named [name_f]Elle[/name_f] several years ago, and I saw it written down “[name_f]Elle[/name_f]” but she always went by [name_f]EL[/name_f]-ee for the pronunciation, like [name_f]Ellie[/name_f]. Maybe [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] was her nickname, but I remember coming across it and thinking it was spelled [name_f]Elle[/name_f] but pronounced like [name_f]Ellie[/name_f]. Either way, I think most people pronounce it like the letter “L”, and I do really like it. I think something like [name_f]Elle[/name_f] [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] ([name_f]Carolina[/name_f]?), [name_f]Elle[/name_f] [name_f]Rebecca[/name_f], or [name_f]Elle[/name_f] [name_f]Francesca[/name_f] would be lovely.
I agree with this.
I’m a little surprised that you’ve had trouble with [name_u]Shea[/name_u]. I guess [name_u]Shea[/name_u] butter isn’t as well known in some places?
[name_f]My[/name_f] favorite cousin is called [name_f]Elle[/name_f]. Her birth certificate says [name_f]Elena[/name_f], but she uses [name_f]Elle[/name_f] for everything else. She doesn’t seem to have any issues. I think the name is known widely enough that people will get it right. I also know of several Elles who have it as their full name, and they don’t seem to have pronunciation problems or anything like that. I wouldn’t worry about it. I think it goes wonderfully with your boys’ names.
[name_f]Elle[/name_f] is a fantastic, real, correctly spelled name. I love it! [name_f]My[/name_f] daughter’s middle name the similar [name_f]Belle[/name_f].
I use [name_f]Elle[/name_f] sometimes, but have trouble with it. It is nearly always spelled and pronounced wrong. So many people say [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] when reading it. They always spell it weird on my coffee cups too. I still prefer it to [name_f]Danielle[/name_f] and think it will become more common over time.
I love [name_f]Elle[/name_f]! [name_f]My[/name_f] hair dresser has a daughter named [name_f]Elle[/name_f] and they’ve never had any issues with it. I go back and forth if I’d use it as a given name or use something longer ([name_f]Elena[/name_f] or [name_u]Ellison[/name_u]) with [name_f]Elle[/name_f] as a nickname.
[name_f]Elle[/name_f] is beautiful, simple, and chic. I don’t think you will have any trouble with it.