Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Elinor or Eleanor?

55 replies

basketoffreshveg · 11/11/2016 19:29

We've pretty much decided on this for DC but unsure which spelling to opt for? Any preferences?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
KlingybunFistelvase · 17/11/2016 12:42

Definitely don't go for Eleanor if you don't like the OR sound Confused. Remember she might want to move to Los Angeles or Dublin one day and everyone will pronounce it with the r.

Fwiw I slightly prefer Elena.

BitOutOfPractice · 17/11/2016 11:41

I also have an Eleanor (though she is rarely called that unless she's in trouble!)

I am amazed at what a positive reception it's had here as Ellie usually gets slagged off as boring on MN

I still love the name and think it really suits my DD

Congrats on your impending arrival Thanks

Gruffalosfriend · 17/11/2016 11:37

I find the OR sound at the end ruins a lovely name. It isn't very feminine sounding either imo.

KlingybunFistelvase · 17/11/2016 11:12

If your accent is Irish, Scottish, American, Canadian, West Country or anywhere else they pronounce their r sounds properly, Eleanor and Elena are nothing alike! Even the el-LE-na pronunciation is nothing like Eleanor when I say it.

user1479374691 · 17/11/2016 11:00

Go with Elena (not biased that its my name!) unless you want the O pronounced heavily at the end of her name.
My name is not pronounced eh-LAY-nah, or eh-LEE-nah, but el-LE-na

Gruffalosfriend · 14/11/2016 22:51

Elena in German is Ell-ena, emphasis on first syllable

Scorbus · 14/11/2016 15:34

Eleanor is a gorgeous name not at all biased

Elena to me should be pronounced El-ay-na which is quite different.

deloreshunchfront · 14/11/2016 15:32

I have an Eleanor, as a northerner I pronounce it na at the end. She's Els to her friends and family but prefers Eleanor at work.

Pemba · 14/11/2016 15:31

But then Elena is probably like Helena, with multiple possible pronunciations, according to which country the version comes from. But could it be that some people are mistakenly thinking it's an alternative spelling for Eleanor?

Pemba · 14/11/2016 15:28

I knew an Elena and it was El-LAY-na. In some countries it's El-LEN-a. Don't know where the ELL-en-a comes from.

BuntyFigglesworthSpiffington · 14/11/2016 14:59

All the Elenas I know are Spanish and their name sounds like uh-lay-na or thereabouts.

Gruffalosfriend · 14/11/2016 14:55

I'd pronounce Eleanor as Ellen-or.

And Elena as Ellen-a.

seven201 · 14/11/2016 13:59

Eleanor is the most common spelling so I'd go for that to save errors. Lovely name.

kilmuir · 14/11/2016 13:44

Eleanor without a doubt

Bountybarsyuk · 14/11/2016 13:41

But Elena isn't the same name as Eleanor, the person I know called Eleanor definitely pronounces the 'nor' bit quite strongly.

I think they are all pretty names!

Bountybarsyuk · 14/11/2016 13:40

I know an Elena who is El 'AY' na, I don't think there's a right way to pronounce it and it's a common name out of the UK as well.

Gruffalosfriend · 13/11/2016 08:12

All the Elenas I know pronounce their name Ellen-ah. Like Ellen with an a.

ChickyDuck · 13/11/2016 08:04

To me Elena is pronounced eh-LEN-a with the emphasis in the middle syllable. It's a lovely name, but an entirely different name to Eleanor/Elinor. And I think etymologically it actually comes from the same origins as Helena rather than Eleanor/Elinor. I like Eleanor personally out of your options!

hels71 · 13/11/2016 06:53

My Eleanor is 9 and no one calls her ellie yet....She is always Eleanor

gininteacupsandleavesonthelawn · 12/11/2016 21:51

I'm expecting DC2, I love Eleanor and Elena, do you think it will be inevitably shortened to Ellie? That's what's putting me off

Gruffalosfriend · 12/11/2016 21:39

Elena - love that and pronounce it ELL-en-a, with the emphasis on Ell.

I find both Elinor and Eleanor less feminine.

MitzyLefrouf · 12/11/2016 21:24

Elinor. As a word I think Eleanor looks quite lumpen.

hels71 · 12/11/2016 21:21

Eleanor

notagiraffe · 12/11/2016 11:42

Eleanor. Gorgeous name. High on our list if we'd had girls.

Jooni · 12/11/2016 11:40

I agree that Eleanor is the more typical spelling (in England anyway) and so that's the one people will probably assume. But it's pretty clear how Elinor is pronounced so I don't think it would cause major problems.

I actually prefer Elinor. I love that it has a slightly stronger "nor" sound at the end (at least when I say it), rather than being pronounced like Ellen-a and so ending in the same sound as so many popular girls' names at the moment.

Swipe left for the next trending thread