Thoughts on Reuel?

[name_m]Hi[/name_m] berries,

I would love to get your thoughts on the name [name_m]Reuel[/name_m].

After many weeks without a name for our son, this is the only name me and my partner can agree on. We like unusual, softer, vowel heavy names. We are not religious but feel it’s suitably uncommon so as to not scream “biblical”.

[name_m]How[/name_m] would you pronounce it?
What feeling does it evoke for you?
[name_f]Do[/name_f] you think there is any bias that come with the name?
Any other thoughts welcome.
Thank you!

[name_m]How[/name_m] would you pronounce it?

  • ray-ool

What feeling does it evoke for you?

  • very charming, romanticised name; handsome latino lads and all that; makes me think of names like [name_m]Carlos[/name_m] and [name_m]Fabian[/name_m]…

[name_f]Do[/name_f] you think there is any bias that come with the name?

  • none that I can think of

The only time I’ve ever heard this name is in JRR Tolkien’s name. He pronounced it similarly to the word ‘rule’, but with more of a second syllable like roo-uhl.
So that’s how I say it. It’s the only English pronunciation I’ve heard of it, too.

I’m not really sure what imagery it gives me. I’m kind of neutral about the name, so I don’t get much from it. I don’t know of any bias associated with it. Like I said before, my only association is with Tolkien so I definitely don’t get a Latino vibe, as the previous poster does.

I kind of prefer [name_m]Raoul[/name_m], of which [name_m]Reuel[/name_m] is a variant. It’s more recognizable, it still has all the soft vowel sounds you like, and it seems like it would lead to far fewer pronunciation issues. [name_m]Reuel[/name_m] does have a nice sound, though.

ROO-uhl, like the previous poster. It’s a Biblical name - I like it, it feels quite soft, blue and green, fairly artistic but not in a hippy way, sensitive and sensible. I know a boy with this name, he’s fairly quiet and gentle, but has brains, so I think of him too - fair hair, white-skinned, blue-eyed. Doesn’t feel continental in the least to me! The nickname Rue is also sweet.

I’d probably assume anyone with this name was either white or Jewish, just because I’m aware of its Biblical roots* and it feels like a very ‘white’ name to me (I hope that doesn’t sound awful!), probably because of the boy mentioned above. Not sure what you mean by ‘bias’ otherwise though.

*Alternative name for Jethro in the Old Testament, means “friend of God”.

Thanks all, really helpful feedback.

Anyone else?

I’d say “ROO-ul”. I think it’s a lovely name - solid, gently quirky, very underused. I’d love to meet a [name_m]Reuel[/name_m]!

I immediately think of Tolkien! I pronounce it as I would “rule,” although the second syllable is more distinct.

I think I would automatically say Roo-[name_f]El[/name_f], but Roo-uhl does make sense.
I wouldn’t use it, but I do think it’s quite cool, I prefer Ruach (Roo-ah) but I suppose that could be quite feminine.
I’m fairly well versed in biblical things and I wasn’t aware of [name_m]Reuel[/name_m] being in there (oops!) so I think you’ve got that biblical-but-not-obvious feel down. I love the nn [name_u]Rue[/name_u].
To me it looks like a name related to [name_m]Raoul[/name_m] so I thought it was a name from a Hispanic culture - so wouldn’t automatically assume a white child.

I though Roo-[name_f]Ell[/name_f] when I first read it. I like it! It reminds me of [name_m]Emanuel[/name_m].

Thanks again all.

The feedback has been so helpful and we are pretty much settled on it! We will pronounce it Roo-el and accept some will pronounce it Roo-uhl and can live with that. We also love the nn [name_u]Rue[/name_u].

SO relieved to have a name

Xxx

Congratulations on picking a name! [name_m]Reuel[/name_m] is lovely, slightly familiar but still very uncommon. I think of Tolkien as well, would naturally pronounce it to rhyme with gruel as it is in Tolkien’s name.