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
AnnaNimmity · 28/10/2019 13:20
  1. Hel- ayna
Smidge001 · 28/10/2019 13:16
  1. Helen-a
daisypond · 28/10/2019 13:14
OpheliaBee · 28/10/2019 13:06

1 or 2. I’d just ask them how they pronounced it. Generally I’d assume if they were British that with would be Helen-a but if from the continent, more likely to be He-lay-na.

misspiggy19 · 28/10/2019 13:01

3

Astronica · 28/10/2019 12:59
BiscuitLover2391 · 28/10/2019 12:56

2, but 1 is much nicer

bunnyrabbit93 · 27/10/2019 22:10

1

delilabell · 27/10/2019 21:30

1

nespressowoo · 27/10/2019 21:30

I work with a lady called this. It's 3

UndomesticHousewife · 27/10/2019 21:09

*Eh-Lay-Na

UndomesticHousewife · 27/10/2019 21:08

Elena is pronounced Elen-a.

I knew an Elena she pronounced it Eh-Lay-N

I would pronounce Helena as Heh-Lay-Na

Except I pronounce Helena Bonham Carter as Helen-A Confused

KindnessCrusader · 27/10/2019 20:31
MileyWiley · 27/10/2019 17:05

Hel- ena

GRW · 27/10/2019 16:59

You could consider Helen which would avoid any ambiguity of the pronunciation. It is much less used than Helena for babies.

hellotabitha · 27/10/2019 16:27

Helen-a. Which is the only pronunciation I like.

tisonlymeagain · 27/10/2019 16:18

Personally Helen-a but I know someone who has the name and calls it Heh-leena.

Lochroy · 27/10/2019 16:11

I much prefer option 1 to the others.

HalfManHalfLabrador · 27/10/2019 16:05

Hel een a. I know a couple with this pronunciation. I’m in Ireland.

happycamper11 · 27/10/2019 15:54

Actually none, I read it as Hel EH na (emphasis on the eh rather than simply helen -ah however app but one Helena I know are Greek. The one English one I know pronounces it hel ay na

beanaseireann · 27/10/2019 15:07

1

Yellowbutterfly1 · 27/10/2019 14:48

All the Polish people I know with this name pronounce it like the french word for Helen (Helene) with a phonetic A at the end. Basically said in a totally phonetic way.
I think it’s lovely this way.

Helenluvsrob · 27/10/2019 14:40

Helen-a or hellayner

At least 2 of each of various ages

Eleanorbellanor · 27/10/2019 14:39

Eleanor with an H

Eleanorbellanor · 27/10/2019 14:38

2

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.