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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:
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WoahThereMama · 27/10/2019 08:50

No. 3 is the way I’ve pronounce it.

Disfordarkchocolate · 27/10/2019 08:50

Hel - at - an. Such a lovely name. I used to say Helen - a then listened to the Falco stories on the BBC, they have a character called Hel - ay - na Justina.

Cookit · 27/10/2019 08:46

2 Helen-a

(The ones I know are this)

Elena I’ve never heard as Ellen-a (like Eleanor?) just - eh-LAY-na.

Zippetydoodahzippetyay · 27/10/2019 08:26

Thanks everyone, interesting to read all your thoughts. Personally Heh-lay-na is my favourite though I don't dislike the other pronounciations.

OP posts:
LolaSmiles · 27/10/2019 07:56

I've known two and one was helen-a and the other was hel-ay-na

Scratchyfluffface · 27/10/2019 07:54

I've known people called Helena, and it's been a mixture of 1 and 2

ZenNudist · 27/10/2019 07:53

Helen-a

Good name

DaWeasleyWae · 27/10/2019 07:48

@Lavenderblues iv never met an Elena irl, but i based my love of the name from a very popular vampire based TV show/book series--was definitely pronounced el-ay-na on there :)

HelenaJustina · 27/10/2019 07:47

Helen-a. Highly recommend the name as I have one and she is gorgeous! No issues with pronunciation and she is most of the way through primary.

wildhairdontcare · 27/10/2019 07:27

We have three Hel-e-na's in our family. When asked they literally say 'like the island'. Ones MIL called her Helaynah until the day she died!

Lavenderblues · 27/10/2019 07:15

Elena is pronounced Elen-a.

At least all the Elenas I've met.

DaWeasleyWae · 27/10/2019 07:10

I'd say hel-ay-na, but i think that's more do to with the fact that I love the name 'Elena' and that's how that is pronounced, so if you preferred that pronunciation, I'd maybe drop the H. Bonham-Carter pronounces hers, Helen-a - i believe

Secretlifeofme · 27/10/2019 07:10

My newborn is called Helena and she is Helen-a. We think that once we tell people the correct pronunciation,they will get it and we're not too worried about people pronouncing it differently.

PullingMySocksUp · 27/10/2019 07:09

1 and 3, oddly.

CanThingsChange35 · 27/10/2019 07:09

Helen-a

fruitofthenight · 27/10/2019 07:08

I'd say 2 but I've recently met someone through work with this name and they pronounce it like 1 which I prefer as it sounds much nicer

Lavenderblues · 27/10/2019 07:07

Sorry Helayna

Lavenderblues · 27/10/2019 07:07

Helen-a as it is spelled

It is not spelled Heleena or Helsyna!

siriusblackthemischieviouscat · 27/10/2019 07:06

1

HeronLanyon · 27/10/2019 07:02

1 then 2 then 3.
Have a Helena friend. Everyone who does not know her well pronounces it differently. She is known as ‘Helly’ - I think this nickname came about due to prononciation ’issues’.
Lovely name nonetheless.

TidyDancer · 27/10/2019 07:02

It's Helen-a most commonly ime but I've heard the odd one who says it differently. Helen-a is a lovely pronunciation but the others aren't very nice imo.

mathanxiety · 27/10/2019 06:52

Helen-a or Hel-EE-na.

The Helenas I know are all Irish and are Hel-EE-nas, with one exception who is Helen-a. I do not know a single Heh-LAY-na.

Starstruck2020 · 27/10/2019 06:43

3

Plumpciousness · 27/10/2019 06:42

2, unless it's the island of St Helena, which is 3.

How does Bonham Carter pronounce her name? I've always thought 2 but I'm now wondering if I've ever actually heard someone say her name.

Aprillygirl · 27/10/2019 06:34

Helen-a

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