I like the look of the name [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] and I like many of the possible pronunciations. I just have a few questions:
[name_m]How[/name_m] do you prefer to pronounce [name_f]Leonie[/name_f]? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you know anyone with this name? [name_m]How[/name_m] does that person pronounce it? What’s the most intuitive pronunciation? Any idea what the most common American pronunciation is? Are any pronunciations more “correct” than others?
Thanks for your help.
My sister-in-law is named [name_f]Leonie[/name_f]. She pronounces it [name_u]Lee[/name_u]-OH-knee.
I’m curious about other ways it might be pronounced, as I’ve only heard it said this way.
I say lee-OH-nee, and unless it is spelled Léonie (lay-oh-NEE) I wouldn’t think to say it any differently.
I’ve met four [name_f]Leonie[/name_f]'s in the past decade here, and all were/are over 40. It feels a little dated here, but it’s not heavy so I think it could work nicely on a young person.
Same here.
Thanks for the input.
The Nameberry description says it can also be pronounced [name_u]Lee[/name_u]-ON-ie and rhyming with peony. And while it should only be pronounced lay-oh-NEE when it has the accent, the description also suggests that some might pronounce it this way even without it.
[name_f]Glad[/name_f] to hear that you all say lee-OH-nee, though. Thank you.
I come from a [name_m]French[/name_m] community in [name_f]Canada[/name_f], and all [name_f]Leonie[/name_f]'s here are pronounced lay-oh-nee, accent or not. [name_m]Even[/name_m] English-speaking people here pronounce it this way. Varies by region, apparently!
Is that with each syllable getting the same emphasis?
And thank you for your help.
Ditto. I have only ever heard it pronounced lay-oh-NEE.
My aunty is [name_f]Leonie[/name_f], and it’s pronounced [name_u]Lee[/name_u]-OH-nee
Thank you all.
And a followup question: For those of you who know a [name_f]Leonie[/name_f], do you know if she likes having the name?
The [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] I know pronounces it LEH-o-nee herself (she’s [name_m]German[/name_m]), but insists on an ‘English version’ [name_m]LAY[/name_m]-o-nee when she’s in [name_f]England[/name_f] - I say it almost something like LAIR-nee when I’m speaking quickly.
The only one I knew was an English ‘lee-OH-nee’ at school but I don’t mind either pronunciation. I think she liked her name.
I had a young [name_m]German[/name_m] student (the most adorable 5 year old ever!) named [name_f]Leonie[/name_f], pronounce Leh-oh-nee.
It’s an adorable and unique name!
lee - OH - nee
I personally like the [name_m]French[/name_m] pronunciation, [name_m]Lay[/name_m]-Oh-Nay, with the accent on the e. But lee-oh-nie would work too!
[name_m]How[/name_m] do you prefer to pronounce [name_f]Leonie[/name_f]? [name_u]LEE[/name_u]-o-nee in English. LEH-o-nee in [name_m]German[/name_m]. Leh-o-NEE in [name_m]French[/name_m]!
[name_f]Do[/name_f] you know anyone with this name? Yes, several! It’s a very popular name here in Germany.
[name_m]How[/name_m] does that person pronounce it? The way I do!
What’s the most intuitive pronunciation? For me most names starting in [name_m]Leo[/name_m]- have the emphasis on the [name_u]LEE[/name_u]/LEH so that’s the most intuitive pronunciation.
Are any pronunciations more “correct” than others? As it is a [name_m]German[/name_m] and Dutch name, [name_u]LEE[/name_u]-o-nee or [name_u]Lee[/name_u]-o-NEE would be the correct pronunciations.
I wouldn’t have thought that anybody would pronounce it [name_u]Lee[/name_u]-OH-nee, that seems very odd to me. Probably because it sounds unnatural when I say it out loud…
I personally pronounce it lay-oh-NEE whether it’s spelled with or without the accent aigu because I knew a [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] who pronounced it lay-oh-NEE, so it’s just stuck in my mind. I also prefer it pronounced that way and spelled Léonie. I think it’s such a beautiful name.
I’ve never heard anything but [name_u]Lee[/name_u]-OH-nee here in Australia.
I do like it, but only associate it with older ladies. Nothing wrong with a revival, though!
[name_m]Lay[/name_m]-O-knee but I’m french and I used Léonie all my life.
I think everyone is going to say lee-Oh-knee 