Hey all. Sorry this is kind of long and rambly. My thoughts are a bit disorganized today. haha
DH and I have been toying with [name_f]Margot[/name_f] as a potential name for a girl, but we’ve really been struggling to find a middle name we love. There are plenty of classic middle names that work so well with it ([name_f]Eleanor[/name_f], [name_f]Cecilia[/name_f], [name_f]Juliet[/name_f], [name_f]Josephine[/name_f], etc), but none have really caught our attention. Then I saw [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f]. I loved [name_f]Margot[/name_f] [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f]…until I realized that I had been pronouncing [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] incorrectly. I had always thought [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] was pronounced [name_f]Emma[/name_f]-lin as well as [name_f]Emma[/name_f]-line and [name_f]Emma[/name_f]-leen. I’ve always pronounced [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] as Madelin, too, though I knew it could also be pronounced [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] and Madeleen. Now, I know I can get the pronunciation I like with [name_f]Emmalin[/name_f]/[name_f]Emmalyn[/name_f]/[name_f]Emmalynn[/name_f], but I am not a huge fan of any of those spellings. I also didn’t realize my favorite pronunciation was considered “trendy” either, which irks me a bit only because people say a name is trendy with such disdain. And [name_f]Margot[/name_f] is not a trendy name, so the “style” of the two names together definitely wouldn’t be the same.
So I’m torn…should I go with a spelling I don’t really like to get the pronunciation I like? Should I not worry about the spelling and just tell people how we pronounce it? Does it really matter that much if [name_f]Margot[/name_f] and Emmelynn/[name_f]Emmalynn[/name_f] don’t match in style?
Normally, I’m a bit more decisive and tend to like what I like regardless of what’s “right” or “trendy” or whatever, but this one has me unsure for some reason.
I would stay away from the altered spelling and either tell people how to pronounce it or just pronounce it -een, which I think sounds great with [name_f]Margot[/name_f]. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you like [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]? It sounds almost identical to the [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] pronunciation you want.
If you were considering it for a first name, I would say go with [name_f]Emmelyn[/name_f]/[name_f]Emmalyn[/name_f] to get the pronunciation you want. Since you are considering it for the middle name, I think you could go with either [name_f]Emmelyn[/name_f]/[name_f]Emmalyn[/name_f] or with [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] and explain your pronunciation. You would only need to explain the pronunciation to close family and friends, maybe a handful of others. You would also have to explain the pronunciation if you were going with actual pronunciations, since there are two.
I feel [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f], [name_f]LINE[/name_f] or LEEN pronunciation ([name_f]LINE[/name_f] personal favorite) does go, style wise, a bit better with [name_f]Margot[/name_f] but I do not find the [name_u]LYN[/name_u] ending completely different, only slightly. I personally prefer [name_f]Margot[/name_f] [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] ([name_f]LINE[/name_f]) but think [name_f]Margot[/name_f] em-ah-lyn, no matter the spelling, is beautiful.
There are certain Berries that use the word trendy like a curse word. It is clear it is used to replace “dislike” or “not fond of” sometimes. Ignore the word. I have found no rhyme or reason to the word on here. It is almost a trend to call names trendy on here.
@sarah1800: I do like [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]. Not quite as much as my preferred pronunciation of [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f], but definitely enough to keep it as an option. =] Thanks for the feedback.
@lovemysweeties: Thanks for the feedback. I didn’t think it was that dissimilar in style from [name_f]Margot[/name_f] either, but others have said they did so I started second guessing it. I’m good at that sometimes. haha And I can see how the pronunciation/spelling wouldn’t matter as much with it being the middle name instead of the first name. I hadn’t really thought of that.
I think you’d be all right going with [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] spelling. It would be her middle name, so it wouldn’t be said too often. More often written down, on forms! There’d be limited times you’d have to explain the pronunciations, which isn’t too bad. [name_f]Margot[/name_f] [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] is beautiful, btw.
I agree with what others have said. Hardly anyone will ever be saying her middle name, so I don’t think pronunciation is a big deal at all. Actually, I thought [name_f]Emma[/name_f]-lin was one of the main pronunciations too, so I doubt you and I are the only ones. [name_f]Margot[/name_f] [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] is very pretty!
Since it’s a middle name and it won’t be used on a daily basis I would go ahead and spell it and pronounce it the way you like. Pronouncing it like [name_u]Lyn[/name_u] instead of Leen or [name_f]Line[/name_f] is not much of a stretch [name_f]IMO[/name_f].
As far as [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] and [name_f]Margot[/name_f] being different styles- it’s ok! Middle names are fun because you can use a different type of style to make the name overall more daring, creative, complete etc. it’s the perfect place to put a name that maybe isn’t your typical style. I wouldn’t call [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] trendy at all and I think the combo is gorgeous. You love it and that’s what matters.
Thank you all for your replies! I really appreciate it.
@mccharlie-- I agree, [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] is beautiful! I didn’t want to change the spelling. haha
I’m glad the consensus seems to be to keep the spelling and just tell people we pronounce it a bit differently since it’s only in the middle spot. I know I can’t be the only one who pronounces it the way I do (I know someone else on here commented they did, at least!), so that’s reassuring. Thanks again for the comments and the love for [name_f]Margot[/name_f] [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f]! It’s definitely one of my favorites right now. =]
I would use the spelling you like and pronounce it the way you want. I know someone who just named their daughter [name_f]Mila[/name_f]. It’s an honour name and they’re pronouncing it with a long i because that’s the way the person she was named after pronounced it, instead of the common pronounciation. As a middle, very few people are going to use it besides you and her, so you can pick the pronounciation. There are variations in the way many names are pronounced regardless.
I love [name_f]Margot[/name_f], by the way. That’s my daughter’s name.
I don’t like the name [name_f]Emmalyn[/name_f], spelling or pronunciation. It also seems tacky to use [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] and just choose pronounce it incorrectly imho. I would pick one or the other.
Who cares what other people think? [name_m]Trust[/name_m] in your own great taste – if you love it, use it.
Perhaps making it hyphenated or a double middle, like [name_f]Emma[/name_f]-[name_u]Lynn[/name_u] or [name_f]Emma[/name_f] [name_f]Lynne[/name_f] appeals more to you?
I think it’s much less of a big deal to have a middle name with a non-standard pronunciation – how often is that an issue in real life? The only people who will say her middle name out loud on a regular basis are her close family members, and they will know exactly how it is pronounced regardless of spelling. For example, my sister’s middle name is [name_u]Loren[/name_u], pronounced Luh-[name_u]WREN[/name_u], but strangers usually assume “[name_f]Lauren[/name_f].” It doesn’t cause her any grief because it’s rarely said aloud by people who don’t know how she pronounces it. So if [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] pronounced [name_f]Emmalyn[/name_f] feel right for you, just go for it.
Similar sounding names to [name_f]Emmalynn[/name_f], in case you want to keep searching: [name_f]Adalyn[/name_f], [name_f]Aislin[/name_f], [name_f]Carolyn[/name_f], [name_u]Emery[/name_u], [name_m]Emmerson[/name_m], [name_f]Gwendolyn[/name_f], [name_f]Jacqueline[/name_f], [name_f]Jessamine[/name_f], [name_f]Jocelyn[/name_f], [name_m]Llewellyn[/name_m], [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f], [name_f]Roslyn[/name_f]
If you live in the states I would think a few things
The middle name is literally never going to come up.
[name_f]Line[/name_f] names are pronounced phonetically but… the [name_u]Lyn[/name_u] ending is common and because of that people almost always pronounce those names with the same mistake you made in thinking they could end [name_u]Lyn[/name_u] so people will say it that way regardless.
A family member had a baby and it was a confusion as to if it was line or [name_u]Lyn[/name_u] then we were presented with the [name_u]Lyn[/name_u] spelling for clarity, I dont know if it was changed or just mis spoken at one point, its a sweet name no one says its trendy and a friend has a [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] and they pronounce it [name_f]Madelyn[/name_f] … it makes me crazy but literally no one ever questions it… they have another child with a non phonetic name, like its a different name but they pronounce it like a different name… makes me crazy… but I also really don’t care what people do aside from it leading to the confusion.
Spell it phonetically, because [name_f]Emmelyn[/name_f] is one thing entirely, or just leave the e off the line, do something so that she’s not carrying a name that isn’t pronounced the way its pronounced … if you don’t it wont matter verbally through life because no one will ever read her middle name or care in the slightest but she may?
There are a number of different names, that are similar but maybe wont get that common or trendy comment from people. If that bothers you, names like [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f] for example, I don’t know if you want to use two m names but that feels like a nice fit.
This is all just trying to assess the things you’re feeling are issues, not so much me being like do this or judgyness just to be clear
Congrats on baby, everything will be totally fine whatever you choose
There’s a [name_u]Berry[/name_u] on here who has a daughter named [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f], and they use the -lyn pronunciation. I think most Berries will tell you that it’s not right, but, clearly people use it, and if it works for [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] and [name_f]Madeline[/name_f], why not [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f], too? I’m a HUGE fan of the -leen ending (-[name_f]LINE[/name_f] for [name_f]Madeline[/name_f]; I guess I need to get off my [name_f]MadeLINE[/name_f] high horse, lol. -lyn doesn’t make sense to me for a lot of these, but to other people it really does, and honestly, my say doesn’t really matter, lol), for both [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] and [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f], but if you love [name_f]Emma[/name_f]-lyn for [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f], I would go for it! [name_f]Margot[/name_f] [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] is super adorable. I can’t tell myself to stop saying [name_f]Mar[/name_f]-go [name_f]Emma[/name_f]-leen, no matter how much I try, but if you like the sound and flow of your pronunciation, I would keep it. It’s fine.
A name is not inherently evil if it doesn’t get the Nameberry seal of approval.
ETA: I used the name [name_f]Emilyn[/name_f] (same prn) nn [name_f]Emmy[/name_f] in a story once, but I definitely think that [name_f]Margot[/name_f] [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] looks much better than [name_f]Margot[/name_f] [name_f]Emilyn[/name_f] or any other spelling! [name_f]Margot[/name_f] [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] is incredibly beautiful, gentle, and stunning.
I wasn’t expecting this thread to still be getting traffic. haha I really appreciate the varying viewpoints, though.
@dinosauroar: I don’t like causing confusion with names, either, which is my biggest issue here. I think [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] looks so much prettier than [name_f]Emmalynn[/name_f]. Bleh. I just hate the spelling. I might have to toy with some other spellings, though I don’t want to stray into the realm of kreativ. lol
@ashthedreamer: I honestly don’t know why I assumed [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] and [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] would have a -lyn ending with this spelling because I have always pronounced [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] with a -leen ending, so I’m confusing even myself with all this. lol I can only guess I heard someone pronounce [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] as [name_f]Madelyn[/name_f] once and it just stuck for some names like that. Most of the time, though, I say -line or -leen. Except with these two names. -shrug- I actually don’t mind the spelling [name_f]Emilyn[/name_f] as much as [name_f]Emmalynn[/name_f]. [name_f]Emmalynn[/name_f] legitimately makes me cringe. Probably because I very much dislike the name [name_f]Emma[/name_f]. I agree that [name_f]Margot[/name_f] [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f] looks better, though. Guess I’ll have to decide if I care whether it causes confusion and whether future potential daughter will care. Though I might have to run the [name_f]Emilyn[/name_f] spelling by DH. That might solve out problems. =]
