4 syllables: Ja, nel, le Mo, nae. Stress on nel.
juh-nel-moh-NAY
/dʒəˈnɛl moʊˈneɪ/
Janelle Monae is pronounced juh-nel-moh-NAY (/dʒəˈnɛl moʊˈneɪ/). It has four syllables (Ja-nel-le Mo-nae), with the stress on "nel". Janelle Monae is a proper name and artist’s stage name; commonly treated as two-syllable first name plus a two-syllable surname. In usage, speakers often stress the second syllable of Monae and the final vowel in Monae is a long, ei-like sound, giving the full pronunciation as juh-NELL MO-NAY. The name spans French-influenced spelling and African American naming conventions, and appears across media as a distinct, hyphen-free two-part identifier for the award-winning singer-actor and activist.
verbJanelle Monae is a proper name and artist’s stage name; commonly treated as two-syllable first name plus a two-syllable surname. In usage, speakers often stress the second syllable of Monae and the final vowel in Monae is a long, ei-like sound, giving the full pronunciation as juh-NELL MO-NAY. The name spans French-influenced spelling and African American naming conventions, and appears across media as a distinct, hyphen-free two-part identifier for the award-winning singer-actor and activist.
"Janelle Monae released a new album last week."
"The keynote speaker was Janelle Monae, whose performance electrified the crowd."
"I listened to Janelle Monae’s latest interview on the podcast."
Pronounce as juh-NELL MOH-nay. IPA: US /dʒæˈnɛl moʊˈneɪ/, UK /dʒæˈnɛl məʊˈneɪ/, AU /dʒæˈnɛlˈmoʊˈneɪ/. The stress falls on the second syllable of the first name and on the final syllable of the surname. The first sound starts with a soft J (like jam), then a short a as in cat, then NELL with a light L, and finally MON-AE with a long A-sound at the end. Mouth position: start with the teeth lightly touching the lower lip for /dʒ/ release, centralize the vowel in /æ/ and glide into /n/ and /ɛl/. For Monae, open the jaw slightly, keep lips rounded for /oʊ/ then end with /neɪ/ as in 'bay'.
Common errors include misplacing stress (putting emphasis on the first syllable of Monae, or flattening /ʊ/ into /oʊ/), softening the /dʒ/ at the start, or pronouncing Monae as MON-ay with a schwa instead of /oʊneɪ/. Correction: keep /dʒæˈnɛl/ for Janelle with emphasis on the second syllable; pronounce Monae as /moʊˈneɪ/, using a clear /oʊ/ followed by /neɪ/. Practice saying ‘juh-NELL MOH-nay’ slowly, then speed up while maintaining the vowel qualities. Mouth: ensure the lips aren’t spread too wide on /moʊ/ and avoid tongue tensing before /neɪ/.
In US English, stress pattern is /dʒæˈnɛl/ /moʊˈneɪ/ with rhoticity affecting the /r/ only if present in surrounding words; /moʊˈneɪ/ has a long A. UK English tends to use /məʊˈneɪ/ for Monae with non-rhoticity; Janelle remains /ˈdʒæ.nɛl/ with a crisper vowel after /dʒ/. Australian English is similar to US but with a more centralized /ə/ in unstressed syllables and a slightly shorter diphthong in /moʊ/ depending on speaker; keep /dʒæˈnɛl/ and /moˈneɪ/ with a broader mouth openness. In all, Monae is non-phonemic beyond the final /neɪ/ and the main differences are in vowel qualities and rhotics.
The difficulty lies in the two-part structure with distinct stress: Janelle’s second syllable carries the primary emphasis, while Monae ends with a tense, rising /eɪ/ diphthong that can be mispronounced as /æ/ or /eɪ/ with weak articulation. Additionally, the name blends a Francophone spelling (Monae) with an English-sounding first name, causing hesitation on where to place the stress and how to shape the /dʒ/ onset. Practicing the two-word rhythm separately helps.
A unique angle is to anchor the jaw and lips on the final /neɪ/ by curling the lower lip slightly and lifting the soft palate to keep the long /eɪ/ clear. Then briefly pause between NELL and MO-NE, reinforcing the two-word boundary. Visualize the mouth making two distinct shapes: a rounded /oʊ/ for Monae’s first part and a more open /neɪ/ at the end. This helps prevent the two elements running together in fast speech.
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The name Janelle Monae is a modern, Western-style personal name combining a feminine given name, Janelle, of uncertain origin but often linked to French Jeannelle or Janelle as diminutive forms of Jeanne or Jane, with the surname Monae, a contemporary spelling of Monae/Monaé, likely adopted to evoke a chic, Francophone or Afrocentric aesthetic. Janelle as a given name gained popularity in English-speaking contexts in the late 20th century, drawing from similar-sounding names like Janell, Janell(e), and Janessa; Monae as a surname appears in contemporary American usage, possibly as a phonetic spelling variant of Monroe or Monette influenced by the popular musician Monae’s own branding. The combination of Janelle Monae became widely recognized in the 2010s thanks to the artist’s rise in pop, R&B, and film. The first notable public intertwining of the two parts is associated with the artist’s professional persona, though as a phrase it directly references a two-name formation resembling a first name + surname structure common in English. Over time, Monae has become a logogram of artistic identity beyond conventional lineage, often treated as a proper name unit in journalism and entertainment media.
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Words that rhyme with "Janelle Monae"
-nel sounds
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