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Baby names

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Original poster

Is Helena a bit boring?

65 replies

Messalena · 30/11/2018 17:36

What do you think of Helena?

I’d semi forgotten about it but its clean, simple sound really appeals to me (would pronounce with stress on the first syllable, like H Bonham Carter).

Helen is a family name so it appeals from that perspective too.

Our other favourite was/is Apolline, which I realise is a lot more “out there”... What do you think? Is Helena a bit dull in comparison? How about Helena Apolline as a combo, maybe?

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Alicatz66 · 05/12/2018 06:50

Love both names .. very elegant x

mammmamia · 05/12/2018 06:40

Helena Apolline is wonderful.

Hmmmbiscuits · 05/12/2018 06:27

I like it. If I was having a girl I would have considered it as a middle name, as it's also a family name. It has a lovely meaning too, which I really liked.

KiplingAngelCake · 03/12/2018 13:06

Gorgeous name - not boring at all. Considered it for DD1, but DH not keen

Flamingosnbears · 03/12/2018 12:24

Not at all...

NorahPerry · 03/12/2018 12:22

No it's stunning!

NinjaGoSaysNo · 03/12/2018 10:50

Love Helena. Apolline is a bit pretentious but ok as a middle name.

Conventicle · 03/12/2018 10:48

I like Helena, but I think I would be bothered by the Hel-EEN-a or Hel-AYN-a pronunciations being an issue, as HEL-enna is much the nicest.

Apolline is also nice. Though I am reminded that Fleur Delacour's mother is Apolline, in case that bothers you.

woollyheart · 03/12/2018 10:48

One thing to think about is your surname. If it could be misheard as an Irish surname, your Helena Connor would be heard as Helen O'Connor.

If your name couldn't be confused like that, it is lovely.

pipilangstrumpf · 03/12/2018 10:40

Helly is too close to Hell imo. Don't like it at all. Poly is sweet as nickname for Apolline

Tinty · 03/12/2018 10:36

Helena is a lovely name, DD has a friend named Helena, they all call her Helly. Which is a lot like Polly.

MarshaBradyo · 03/12/2018 10:30

Apolline

MarshaBradyo · 03/12/2018 10:29

Apollo be would sound beautiful with a French pronunciation- I saw a French fashion with this name the other day made me think how pretty it would be over there

TidyDancer · 03/12/2018 10:25

Apolline is a clunky name to me. Helena is beautiful.

TatianaLarina · 02/12/2018 19:10

Helena is dull. Apolline is fabulous.

Apolline Helen/a works well.

MikeUniformMike · 02/12/2018 17:41

I like Helena and Helen. Both are classic. Apolline is a bit too out there for me. How about Polly?

Agustarella · 02/12/2018 17:38

I love it. It's DD2's name and the least "boring" name of all my DCs. :)
I think you might need another name between Helena and Apolline so that it flows better - this is good because your DD will have three names to choose from.

PeroniZucchini · 02/12/2018 15:13

It’s one of my middle names, and my niece is called it too. We pronounce it HelAYna in our family but the more common, English version is just as lovely.

MeganJ93 · 02/12/2018 15:08

No, I think Helena is a lovely name.

Original poster
Messalena · 01/12/2018 21:56

Thank you for all the feedback. We still have a few weeks so I’m going to let all these lovely combos stew for a while and hopefully one sticks!

OP posts:
foxtiger · 01/12/2018 19:58

Not boring, but I think I actually prefer just Helen (possibly because I've known some very nice Helens and no Helenas at all). I would go with the HELena pronunciation too.

I quite like Apolline and Polly, but I'm not sure about the "a...a" problem. Helen Apolline would get around it, as would Apolline Helen/Helena. Actually I think I'd like Polly Helen best of all the possible variations, but none of them is awful.

Astronica · 01/12/2018 12:37

It's a lovely name, and I would say elegant and understated rather than boring. Apolline is okay but I prefer Helena. As a combo I think it's pretty good even though the end of Helena and beginning of Apolline run into each other.

lebkuchenfan · 01/12/2018 10:57

I like Helena but don't like the two pronunciations in English, especially not Hellayna.

Apolline is beautiful and easy to pronounce in most languages.

starkid · 01/12/2018 09:25

I love Helena, pronounced the way you prefer. Much better than Apolline. Helena Apolline is nice though

AnElderlyLadyOfMediumHeight · 01/12/2018 08:05

Apolline Helena is lovely, as is Polly Helena if she is known as Polly (which I also like a lot).