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Original poster

How would you pronounce Elaina?

71 replies

KaosReigns · 15/02/2018 08:39

Just that really, I'm starting to worry I have a speech impediment because 90% of people pronounce it differently. Her grandmother called here Alana for the first 6 months.

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myriama · 11/07/2022 11:57

I would pronounce it just like Elaine with an A on the end.

I would guess the mispronunciations come from people being unfamiliar with Elaina and more familiar with other names like Eleanor and Alana. I sometimes get people calling me by the wrong name because they misheard my name as another, somewhat more common name (let's say my name is Clara and people hear "Cara" instead). Hearing problems could also be a factor.

GreenIsle · 06/07/2022 12:03

ill-Lane-a

pinklavenders · 06/07/2022 12:01

Elaina is El ay na

It's really obvious imo Confused

Luredbyapomegranate · 06/07/2022 00:17

Eh-LAY-nuh, like Elaine but with an a on the end

But Eleanor - ELL-ah-nuh - is so popular it overrides the obvious, I think, and Elaina is not a standard Uk version of the name.

RuthW · 05/07/2022 18:17

Ee-lane-a

Youaremysunshine14 · 05/07/2022 16:49

Eee-lane-ah.

JDF1611 · 05/07/2022 16:47

@KaosReigns I hope you don't mind me dragging up this old thread! But I am in exactly the same position with my 7 month old Elaina - DH grandmother constantly calls her Alana (we had Almira once too..!)
How is your little Elaina getting on with her name now? Do you still get any spelling/pronunciation problems?

QuinionsRainbow · 19/02/2018 19:52

el-ai-ee-na

pipilangstrumpf · 19/02/2018 19:25

Elena I would pronounce Elen-a.

Lobsterquadrille2 · 19/02/2018 19:00

Pemba - I really have no idea. I was at university and was informed that this was my niece's name, that I was godmother and that this was the pronunciation. I wouldn't have questioned it but can now see that it looks a bit odd considering how they've always pronounced it.

UsernameInvalid66 · 19/02/2018 18:50

I think I would say "ill-AY-na" as I hear the sound I say at the beginning of a lot of unstressed "el-" names (Elaine, Elizabeth, Elias, etc) as more like "ill" than "ell".

SueGeneris · 19/02/2018 18:39

Yup. E-lay-na. My DD is Elena (with the same pronunciation) and has received birthday gifts to 'Elaina'. Sadly for her there is an Alenna in the year above her and Eliana in the year below - so she does get a fair bit of mispronunciation.

LemonysSnicket · 19/02/2018 18:31

Ay* not at Hmm

LemonysSnicket · 19/02/2018 18:31

El-at-na

alpineibex · 19/02/2018 18:19

Ell-AY-nah

Pemba · 19/02/2018 18:17

Ileana is very unusual, no wonder people weren't sure how to pronounce. Do you know where it originates from, or did your SIL make it up?

I would probably have said 'ill-een-a', as I don't think that 'ea' normally makes an 'ay' sound?

Lobsterquadrille2 · 19/02/2018 18:01

Re: pronunciation of Ileana, interesting and point taken. I suppose that it was introduced to me when I was 19 (I'm now 48) so I've never questioned it, if that makes sense. Elaina does look more "sensible", objectively.

pipilangstrumpf · 19/02/2018 17:40

I would pronounce Ileana as it's written, il-e-ana.

Confusedbeetle · 19/02/2018 16:10

You decide how you want it to be pronounced and stick to it. Its an unusual name so I guess people are not sure, Use her name a lot around people that are getting it wrong they will soon catch on

Lobsterquadrille2 · 19/02/2018 16:07

Ileana is pronounced the same as Elena. My sister-in-law changed the spelling because she didn't want people to think it was Eleanor. I suppose I'm just used to it!

ReelingLush18 · 19/02/2018 14:12

As 'Elayna'

pipilangstrumpf · 19/02/2018 13:51

Ileana is completely different to Elaina

NotAQueef · 19/02/2018 13:42

@lobsertquadrille2 I would have pronounced it Ih-lee-ah-na too! - what's the correct way?

Lobsterquadrille2 · 19/02/2018 12:35

I have a niece called Ileana and she's had a number of odd pronunciations including Ill-ee-AH-na.

NotAQueef · 19/02/2018 12:25

daisy perhaps. hearing eee-laaiiiinnne with a drawn out estuary twang is not pleasant on the ears so the Elaine i know always corrects to El - aine to avoid

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