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

How would you pronounce Helena?

138 replies

Zippetydoodahzippetyay · 27/10/2019 06:26

I love the name Helena but not sure if people would pronounce it the way I prefer it.

Would you pronounce it:

  1. Heh-lay-na
  2. Helen-a
  3. Hel-ee-na?
OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
lowlandLucky · 01/11/2019 07:51

My Greek Aunts name and its Hey lena

daisypond · 31/10/2019 06:53

There’s also the barrister and broadcaster Helena Kennedy - also 2.

AdalbertWaffling · 31/10/2019 00:18

Helen-a (as in Helena Bonham Carter). A very close relative is named this, and it's commonly mid-pronounced the first time, but as soon as she repeats it with the correct pronunciation people always remember. The same will happen if you do the same for a different pronunciation I'm sure! For background, the name is derived from Helios, the sun god, which I don't think has any factor in pronunciation but is kinda cool Smile

89redballoons · 30/10/2019 20:19

I am one, and I pronounce it like your (2). I would say when reading it for the first time, people get it wrong maybe 30% of the time. I correct them and don't really care about it, I really like my name Smile

dairymilkmonster · 30/10/2019 20:07

hel-an-a

Original poster
Zippetydoodahzippetyay · 30/10/2019 20:02

@Pemba haha

I actually now prefer He-lee-na followed by Helen-a as in Bonham Carter. Partly due to seeing/hearing them more while reading this thread and party because it occurred to me that He-lay-na rhymes a little too much with our surname.

OP posts:
Pemba · 30/10/2019 17:03

OK if no-one else is going to ask, I will, what pronunciation do you favour now then? Helen-a like Ms Bonham Carter?

Original poster
Zippetydoodahzippetyay · 30/10/2019 00:56

Such a mix of responses. Very interesting. And funnily enough, since I started this thread I think my favourite pronounciation has changed.

OP posts:
AllStarBySmashMouth · 29/10/2019 17:36

Helen-a. Although I know Heh-lay-nas - but you'd need to tell me that was the pronunciation. Otherwise you're gonna be Helen-a.

marjoretta · 29/10/2019 17:34

2

Theflying19 · 29/10/2019 17:33

2

Flicketyflack · 29/10/2019 14:31

2 as in Helena Bonham Carter

OceanPearl · 29/10/2019 14:27

1

Honeybee85 · 29/10/2019 14:15
Idolovetobebesidethesea · 29/10/2019 14:14
Blondebear123 · 29/10/2019 06:43

In Ireland helena is he-leena.

cloudydaysinautumn · 29/10/2019 06:38

Definitely 1 for me

CravingCheese · 29/10/2019 05:26

Elena would be EH-le-nuh or e-LE-nuh to me...
Or e-LAY-na. (I know someone who pronounces her name like that...)

Pemba · 29/10/2019 03:40

My point is you can't just say that 'Elena is definitely Elen-a' there are different pronunciations from different countries. That is obvious surely.

Not a British name so I suppose there's no 'British pronunciation' as such, but I still believe the most well-known version over here is 'El-ay-na'.

Pemba · 29/10/2019 03:31

I have known 2 Elenas, one now in her twenties, one would be in her 80s now. No connection between them. Both pronounced el-ay-na. I think it is the most common pronunciation here in the UK (not sure which country it comes from).

As for Helena, it would most commonly be Helen-a here, (as in Bonham Carter) but I am well aware of the other pronunciations. I think Hel-eena is the most usual way in Ireland, for example.

Babablackship · 28/10/2019 23:04

I have got no idea on the Helena, could be 1 or 2. But Elena is definitely Elen-a if you want to pronounce it the correct way.

AllTheGoodUNsTaken · 28/10/2019 22:58

Hell-a-nah.

Difficultcustomer · 28/10/2019 19:08

Helen-a

Lavenderblues · 28/10/2019 14:25

but if from the continent, more likely to be He-lay-na.

In Germany Helena and Elena are pronounced
Helen-a and Elen-a.

There's is no ay sound whatsoever.

Drabarni · 28/10/2019 13:23

Hellen a (short)

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.