Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

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.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 17/02/2018 23:37

El-LAY-na

daisypond · 17/02/2018 10:19

I think the pronunciation of Elaine must be regional. I'm from Yorkshire and it's always been Eee-layn to me.

pipilangstrumpf · 17/02/2018 08:33

How else should El-ai-na be pronounced?

Snoopy90 · 16/02/2018 22:29

Eh-lay-nah

NellWilsonsWhiteHair · 16/02/2018 21:18

Yep, id pronounce it as you do OP, and I'm surprised you've met so many people who struggle with that.

To wade into the Elena discussion, I'd also pronounce that as Eh-LAY-na, but id be aware that sometimes it's pronounced El-en-a.

Cosmoa · 16/02/2018 17:54

El-Ay-Na

DixieFlatline · 15/02/2018 19:18

Everyone else says Eleanor, ellen-a, ellie-ahn-a

This is really not a problem with you. Though you seem to know an awful lot of people who struggle with words and sounds...

DwangelaForever · 15/02/2018 19:17

Elle - ain - Uh

daisypond · 15/02/2018 18:59

I would say Eee-LAY-na. I know two Elaines and they are both pronounced as Eee-layn. Not Ay-layn or Eh-layn. So I'd asume Elaine is like Elaine with an A sound on the end.

Elena is pronounced Eh-LAY-na as it's Spanish, etc, as people have said. It wouldn't occur to me to say it any other way.

Pemba · 15/02/2018 15:06

Eh-LAY-na, it's pretty obvious. I have seen people on here who wanted Elena pronounced this way, and they chose your spelling instead to make it very clear what the pronunciation was. I am sorry you have come across some stupid people OP, I don't see how Elaina could be pronounced any other way.

HuskyMcClusky · 15/02/2018 14:21

I think the way you’re pronouncing it is the only way that makes sense, OP! The people getting it wrong are weird.

Beautiful name.

crispsandgin · 15/02/2018 14:21

I would always pronounce Elena as El-en-a. That's how it's written. Like Element or Elegant, there is no AY sound

Except its a spanish/italian/portuguese name, so it actually IS an AY sound.

pipilangstrumpf · 15/02/2018 14:17

I would always pronounce Elena as El-en-a. That's how it's written. Like Element or Elegant, there is no AY sound

Elaina is El-ai-na, again exactly how it is written.

swanmills · 15/02/2018 13:21

Eh-lay-nah

crispsandgin · 15/02/2018 12:50

Elena is El-en-a Elaina is El-ai-na

They can be both the same, and usually are. Your pronounciation of Elena would be unusual, and like Elenor/Eleanore.

IVflytrap · 15/02/2018 12:48

I also would say it like Elaine but with an A on the end. El-ayn-uh. It looks like a very easy to pronounce, phonetic name to me.

To be honest, OP, if you're calling her Elaina, and people are randomly coming back to you with "Eleanor", "Ellianna" or whatever, I don't think you're the one with the problem here.

NotAQueef · 15/02/2018 12:28

Gosh Elaine should NEVER be prounounced EE-laine shudder

OP - I would pronounce Elaina it as Eh-lay-na (possibly stress on the 'lay')

TulipsInABlueVase · 15/02/2018 11:43

Ell-lay-na

Like Elaine but with an a ending

MaitlandGirl · 15/02/2018 10:52

I’d say I - lay - nah (with the E pronounced like the I in igloo)

I’d say Ee-Lane so slightly different but I think Elaine is a very regional name with pronunciation.

pipilangstrumpf · 15/02/2018 10:22

Elena is El-en-a

Elaina is El-ai-na

It's not complicated

Original poster
KaosReigns · 15/02/2018 10:20

I know a lot of people pronounce Elena like we pronounce Elaina but we chose that spelling to avoid ellen-a pronunciations.

OP posts:
Original poster
KaosReigns · 15/02/2018 10:18

It's a very old name, it's not like we made it up. We actually took ease of pronunciation in to account when choosing it so I'm pretty disappointed.

OP posts:
Cockmagic · 15/02/2018 10:18

El ay ne ah

Original poster
KaosReigns · 15/02/2018 10:17

We pronounce it elaine with a on the end like most of you. Everyone else says Eleanor, ellen-a, ellie-ahn-a or dozens of other variations. Even when I say it as opposed to them having read it. Maybe I have a speech impediment that I'm unaware of.

OP posts:
rainbowstardrops · 15/02/2018 09:22

I would pronounce it Elaine with an a on the end

Swipe left for the next trending thread