Katie writes:
I have a name idea that I can’t quite decide on. I was thinking about the name Jolene today and I couldn’t figure out if it sounded dated (along the lines of Joanne) or if it was spunky and refreshing? Whenever I hear it, I think of the Dolly Parton song which I love. I’m wondering if other people have a similar association with the name. Does it sound too “country bumpkin”? Too dated? Is this one of those names that needs another generation or two to sound “refreshing” again?
My guess is that it needs a little more time. It doesn’t sound country bumpkin to me, but that -lene ending puts it in the category with Darlene, Charlene, Pauline, Arlene, Eileen, Kathleen, Colleen. The people I know with those names are about the age of my parents and grandparents (though I know one Colleen my age)—which should mean they could be right on the edge of coming back into fashion, or it could be another generation still. It seems like names come into fashion right around the time no one really knows anyone with that name anymore.
If I wanted to use Jolene as an honor name, though, I think it would work GREAT: both Jo and Lena are nicknames that sound good right now; Jolie (emphasis on second syllable) or Joley (emphasis on first syllable) might work, too. I’d use Jolene before I’d use some of the other -lene names, and I think I’d be pleasantly surprised to see a Jolene on the class list—which may mean it doesn’t need another generation after all (or may just mean I’m pleasantly surprised by retro names). I see there were 293 new baby girls named Jolene in 2012—and it’s been back in the Top 1000 for the past three years, after a 16-year disappearance.
What does everyone else think of the name Jolene?
a high school friend named her little girl Jolene and it was one of those names that the first time I heard it I thought”…huh” but now I think it’s the most adorable name ever.
I really like the name, but it always makes me think of the Dolly Parton song, and the song is about Jolene stealing someone’s man… which isn’t really a desirable trait you’d want to name your kid after! If there were another famous reference to the name, it might be easier.
I love the name Jolene and think it is right for a comeback, but you do need to be able to weather (and imagine your child weathering) the inevitable crooning of the Dolly Parton song (which I also like a lot.)
When I hear the name, I think of Jolene by The Weepies first, then Jolene by Ray LaMontagne. Then I remember there is a Jolene by Dolly Parton. So that isn’t everybody’s first association. (And I know there are other Jolene songs, these are just the first to mind).
I think it’s adorable, and definitely fresher than the other ‘-lene’ examples cited by Swistle.
I met a little Jolene this summer, under age 2. I was surprised to hear it but I agree with the previous poster that it sounds a lot fresher than Charlene or Darlene. I also kind of like Pauline, I have to say.
I think it could be ready for a comeback. Jolene sounds just a tiny bit hipster to me, I could see sisters Jolene and Mabel for example. But the possible nicknames make it seem more accessible to us non-hipster types.
I’m more ready for Pauline, Kathleen, and Joanna than Jolene.
It’s a very strong and specific association for me, but I also love that song, so I’m inclined to think it might work. I agree that you would have to be willing to hear the Dolly crooning on a regular basis without being annoyed, though.
I know a Jolene my age (30) and always liked her name. I also really like Pauline, Paulina, and Kathleen. They don’t sound old fashioned to me at all. :)
I actually quite like Jolene and always have. I get the “dated” thing, but I’ve never actually met a real life Jolene so the impact is lessened. It feels spunky and stylish and strong.
I do agree with the earlier commentator who mentioned that the Jolene in the Dolly Parton song is, er, less than admirable in her actions. I wouldn’t name someone after the song. But, I like the name independently of that association.
Other names that kind of fall into a Jolene-ish, ready for a comeback category, that are nice:
Lois
Bonnie
Elaine
Joan/Joanie/Joni
Edith/Edie
Joanie/Joni could be a cute nickname for Jolene. A bit of a stretch I guess, but cute nonetheless.
Just want to add that Jolene also sort of reminds me of the super-in-right-now Jocelyn and Evelyn in some ways too– maybe that’s why it has squeaked back into the top 1000?
I know a Jolene under the age of 3 and love her name! It did strike me as ‘country’ at first, but her siblings’ names that are familiar-yet-unique-but-not-country balance it really well.
I second the comment above… it reminds me more of Jocelyn and Evelyn ..and Josephine/Josie (as mentioned below). I also know a few little Joannas .. I think the Jo-thing is getting trendy ahead of ‘lene’ … then again, I think the “lene” spelling helps it look less dated, too (“leen” and “line” with the ‘ee’ pronunciation do feel dated, still).
Another note–there is also a “Jolene” song by Zac Brown Band … love the band, but the lyrics aren’t really something I’d want to name a daughter after :-/ (actually, the girl in the song doesn’t sound that bad, but the story itself is grim). And fortunately, it doesn’t seem like anyone had this association but me! :)
I have to say that Lois, Elaine and Edith have all been on my list recently. I like all these names more than Jolene and think Jolene is a little more dated than those three. However, I’m not a fan of most Jo- names, nor of names that end in -een sounds. . . .so therefore, Jolene just isn’t for me : )
Jolene is a wonderful name. I’ve loved it since Mindy Smith’s remake of Dolly’s song. It seems a lot fresher than Darlene and Pauline to me. I would have it in my top 5 if my husband didn’t go by Joe. I love Joley for a nickname.
Maybe we’re even ready for Jolena? Oh–but the pronunciation issues…….Jolena pronounced like Helena is very pretty.
Jolene is my favourite “een” name, alongside Pauline. I think the reason I can picture it working is that there are fresh nicknames, unlike Kathleen whose only option seems to be Kathy or Kath. Pauline, I can picture going by Polly, a favourite of mine. Jolene is even better, she could go by Jo, Jojo, Jewels, Joli…I think she’s totally ready for her comeback!
I know several Jolene’s in their 40-50’s so that generation and age comes right to mind for this name. Not that that’s always a bad thing, but there’s definitely a strong association for me.
I’ve never heard the Dolly Patton song, and I’m 25, so I think the younger generation is less familiar with that connection. I thought of the Ray LaMontagne song, which is not about a man stealer FYI.
I think Jo will be a popular nickname with all the little Josephines running around, so that makes it accessible. It’s not my style, but definitely more open to it than the other -lene names
I think of Jolene, Darlene and Charlene (and Karleen as well) as belonging to girls born in the 70s and 80s, and Pauline to the 60s. But I think Arlene, Eileen, Kathleen and Colleen are ready for a come back. Having said that, if I met a little Jolene my reaction would be favourable. I really, really love the “-een” names.
Would Joline work better? To me, it seems less oldfashioned than the -lene ending and I know a twenty year old named like this.
It makes me sing the song – which I didn’t know was by Dolly Parton so it didn’t give me a country vibe.
It makes me think of kids I know named Josie and Josephine and Josiah and Joseph (Joe Joe). So that makes it feel current to me. Although the ending sound is somewhat ‘out of fashion’, I think it would be cute on a little girl. :)
I think Jolene is sweet and ready for a comeback! I’m in my 20’s and never heard the Dolly Parton song, but I fell for this name while listening to Ray Lamontagne’s, Jolene. I would love to ee the nn Jolie used!
Love the name! By the time this child is grown any association with the song will be few and far between. I like the song, so any association is me is one of nostalgia. This name to me is timeless without being stodgy and works for any age. I say go for it!
Love love love Jolene.
I like it! Joley is a super-cute nickname.
When we had our Evie, EVERYONE sang, “Evie let your hair hang down. ” It doesn’t bother me but it would with Jolene. Definitely in the not ready ene category for me. But I do know a Jolie, emphasis on the Jo, and it’s never seemed date stamped to me.
OP here- I think everyone is saying that it’s a solid name but it just needs to some more time to become fresh again. I always thought of it as quite pretty.
Although I have to mention that I’m smiling right now because of the -lene name discussion. My real name is Kathleen and I’m in my early twenties. I know at least five other Kathleen’s my age (maybe its a regional thing?) A lot us all hiding out as Katie’s or Kate’s so I think Kathleen might actually be a “younger” name than people realize (I would definitely say it’s a much younger name than Pauleen or Maureen or Eileen which seem to belong on middle aged women).
*a lot of us
30-yr-old Maureen here to say YES on all counts. I know so many Kathleens my age or younger, but they’re all Katies (my age) or Kates (early 20s… and a 12-yr old, though it’s definitely an honor name there). Certainly seems regional. Meanwhile, my name is firmly late-middle aged ladies to me. Like, it was a middle-aged name to me when I was in grade school. (I still have liked it!)
Never heard of the Dolly Parton song – but have heard the one by Ray LaMontagne.
The one question I have is – do most people say it “JOE – LEAN” (like JOE-ANNA) or is it “JOEL – EEN”
There is a women’s unwanted hair bleach called Jolen, which I thought was Jolene, though google straightened me out. That was my first association. The song was the second. But I still like the name.
I know two Jolene’s: one in her fifties and one that is only a few months old. I think it’s ripe for a comeback.
I’m a Colleen in my mid-twenties, and my parents picked it for its Irishness. I never had another Colleen in any of my classes and most people could spell it right on the first try. I think it’s an awesome name that deserves more credit =)
I’m a Colleen in my early 30s so interested in this discussion. Kathleen is on our list for a future daughter. I think Jolene is ready for a comeback definitely. Sweet and kind of funky.
I love it. We considered it for our baby girl because I love the nn Joey (and Josephine isn’t my style). I agree the -ene makes it fresher than an -een. And, I always think of the Ray LaMontagne song, not Dolly Parton (and I’m in my mid-thirties) when I hear this name,.
For one, I’ve never heard the song by Dolly Parton (weird, because I love old country music, perhaps I would if I heard it). I have mixed opinions on this, as I know someone my age (28) with the name Jolene and it never struck me as being a weird, or out of place name. I also know someone by the name Kathleen (doesn’t go by a nn, just Kathleen) my age as well. That being said, other names that sound similar, Eileen, Darlene, Marlene, Charlene, seem quite a bit out dated still to me, so on first thought I would think so would Jolene…
I agree with someone who commented, what about Jolena? A little different spin on it. Or even if you went with Jolene, I love the nn’s Jo and Joey… adds a little freshness and spunkiness to the name.
I associate the name exclusively with the Dolly Parton song, I don’t know anyone with that name, so I always imagine a woman who will take another woman’s man “just because she can”. So, a bad association for me (sadly)!
I just graduated from college in the spring and had never met a Colleen or Maureen before I got there. There were four Colleens and two Maureens in a dorm of 200 girls my freshman year. It maybe the Irish-Catholic identity of the school that attracts the sort of kids who had parents that would use those names, if that makes sense, but those names are definitely out there in the younger generation.
That being said, I love Jolene and think it is ripe for a comeback. And as has been pointed out, other parents may know the Dolly Parton song, but most kids her age won’t.
Because of the song, the name Jolene does strike me as very “country.”
There are so many songs with girl names in the title (Sweet Caroline to name one :)) that people will sing anyways. Jolene is cute, I like it a lot. I think Jolie is the slightly more popular version right now (though dropping in popularity), but Jolene is ready for a comeback and it has slowly been coming back – it’s been in the top 1000 since 2010, hovering around the 900s (after dropping from the list in the early 1990s).
For me the song association is really strong, but that’s clearly not true for everyone. Second to the song, I also think the name sounds very Southern. Which isn’t good or bad and it might just be me! I think Jolie or Joely or Jovie are very cute alternatives that have a similar feel without a song/regional association.
I agree about the song. I have a friend named Roxanne and EVERYWHERE she goes, people sing, “Roooooooxannnnnne.” It’s caused her to dislike her name. Just something to consider because I can’t imagine someone singing a song every time I introduced myself.
I thought of the Dolly Parton song immediately. I’m 30 and was initially introduced to the song through The White Stripes cover and then the Mindy Smith cover. Looking at the # of covers listed on Wikipedia, I don’t think the song is going anywhere – it was recently covered by Mumford & Sons and Laura Marling. Even if that song were to fade away, the Ray Lamontagne song isn’t very uplifting either…
I agree it has some hipster appeal, but the song association is way too strong for me and I don’t think there’s any guarantee that little Jolene’s classmates won’t know it too, since the song itself has been covered plenty just in the last 5-10 years.
I know a Joelle (late 30’s) – another alternative
I have a 13 year old Joliene Felicity :) She is smart, athletic and BEAUTIFUL!! We run into other Jolienes occasionally, but mostly we get to stand alone in unique but familiar territory. Our pediatrician also has a 4 year old that she named Joliene… and I figure she must run into every name on the planet as teachers do, so that validates my choice even more, haha!! I named my Joliene after a lovely girl my sister went to high school with who was a wonderful talented girl inside and out… I never knew I loved the name so much until it came time to name our first baby and I rediscovered the name and put it at the top of my list!
When my Joliene was a toddler we intented to nickname her Jolien, but called her Jojo instead, and since about 2nd grade she has gone by Joey… a nickname I never expected but fits her so well… and even more often, she is just Jo. She also has a BEAUTIFUL friend her age named Joannah. They love being Jos together :)
Facebook or instagram the name and you will put a face to many young, beautiful, fun, talented, special Jolienes out there :)
That was supposed to read, “We intended to nickname her JOLIE” ;)
Also, I do not live somewhere with a strong ‘country’ influence, nor do I particularly like country music (unless it’s made it’s way to mainstream ;) Nor am I old enough to have grown up with the name in my own circle. I’d like to think I like it pretty objectively!
60 year old Jolene here. Hated my name as a kid. Not because of the song which wasn’t a thing yet but because it was unusual and no one could spell it. Got called Joanne, Colleen or Janine.
Friends nicknamed me Jo which stuck around for several decades. Then as a young adult the Dolly Parton song was the beginning of the song singing when my name was mentioned. Hated that more. I grew into my name in my 40s and began using the song as a way to stand out in people’s memories! Remember that woman who makes fun of her name? Jolene. EVERY WEEK someone sings that song to me! I have made all the Jolene songs themes for how I am feeling, including Paul Simon’s version.
It’s a 50s name and not sure if it’s ready for a comeback. Certainly a name that demands a strong personality!