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Original poster

Thoughts on the name Alena?

38 replies

GenerationYmember · 25/03/2017 08:10

Alena the only girls name I love that I can actually use.

However DH is not yet convinced (I am working on him!), he says she would have a lifetime of having it mispronounced and misspelt.

So MN jury what are your thoughts?

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Goforit2017 · 25/03/2017 20:04

Never heard of it and confused about the pronunciation.

zozozoo · 25/03/2017 20:00

Ok so alena could surely only be pronounced a-lean-a! A-len-a would need a double n.

Zhabr · 25/03/2017 19:53

All Russian Alenas I know have Elena on their BC. Also there is a Russian folk tale about sister Aleyonushka and Brother Ivanushka, quite scary, actually.

FrancisCrawford · 25/03/2017 11:37

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MangoSplit · 25/03/2017 11:00

I like Alana. But I guess by saying that I'm kind of proving your DH's point!

I think if your DH isn't keen you need to think about alternatives rather than work on changing his mind.

Original poster
GenerationYmember · 25/03/2017 10:56

Yes it would be Ah-Len-a.

Thanks for the suggestions, I never thought about Alina, I still much prefer the Alena spelling but maybe Alina could be a compromise with Dh.

Wellies Your right about it being awkward about correcting people's pronunciations, my name is always mispronounced (it's a variation of a very common name) and I'm always to scared to correct them Blush I'm not sure how I would cope if it was my own child!

OP posts:
Wishiwasmoiradingle2017 · 25/03/2017 10:18

We had Athena on our list.

ColourfulOrangex · 25/03/2017 10:17

I like it and Aleanna (Ah-Lee-Arna)

Epipgab · 25/03/2017 09:49

I like it, also Alannah.

reuset · 25/03/2017 09:25

I prefer Alina spelling. That must be the most common spelling? And a couple of famous Alinas spring to mind. A popular name outside the UK so will travel well (though it's not rare even in the UK, I don't think, though I'm only guessing) but it's a name I'm very fond of (rare Grin).

SuperBeagle · 25/03/2017 09:04

I like it.

One of my good friends is named Alena. It's pronounced Ah-LEE-nah. She's Russian and it's an anglicisation of her Russian name.

It can also be spelt Alina, which might be more straight forward re pronunciation.

MrsPringles · 25/03/2017 08:26

I would pronounce that Ah-Len-A? Is that right?

I agree with him that it would be annoying having to constantly correct people over the pronunciation though

WelliesAndPyjamas · 25/03/2017 08:19

It's pretty. I like it.

But your DH has a point. I say this as someone with a name which is mispronounced 90% of the time 😄 Two of my children have names which are also usually mispronounced, and they are not even that whacky or unusual, we just never predicted they would be such a problem for people! It gets irritating sometimes when I'm in a mood with the world but it's nothing more than a petty problem. Be warned though, if you ever politely and nicely correct people's pronunciation of a name, reactions can be odd. I guess it is embarassment on their behalf. For example, after knowing our school secretary for a couple of years, I once informed her that my name was actually pronounced differently to how she had assumed...and since then she has told people that I am very prissy about it and will insist on people getting it right and will strop if it isn't 🤔🤔 some people don't like being told they might not be always right!