Ellena Elizabeth

Love the name but not the spelling OP, I much prefer Eleanor....so pretty and classical.

Elena, I would definitely pronounce el-ay-na

Elena is nice. Ellena looks strange and I would pronounce it "Elle-Lena".

Ellena looks like the parents couldn’t spell Eleanor, sorry!

Elena is lovely and I'd pronounce it as it's written, Elen-ah. I know a German Elena.

Eleanor or Elinor aren't so nice imo.

But I really dislike Ellena. If I heard it, I'd assume it was spelled Elena! She will have to constantly correct people.

I don't understand why Elena would be pronounced Elayna?

It's a more common pronunciation in America and is used in popular tv shows like the Vampire Diaries. I haven't met any Elenas in the UK (although have met plenty of Eleanors) so confess I'd probably say El-ay-na now out of habit from hearing it so much, despite knowing that historically it's more likely to be El-en-a here.

However, I think you're better off using Eleanor Op. IME most people don't pronounce the 'or' at the end, although would for Elinor as pp said. Ellena doesn't look right and is immediately dooming her to a life of 'Ellena but with two Ls' whenever she gives her name. I have to do similar and it's incredibly annoying.

I don't like the 'lets be different and interesting' spelling. I think it looks awful.

The original spelling is nice though.

Ellena really doesn't look right OP (sorry to the pp who has named her daughter this already.) And as someone with an unusual spelling, please do not underestimate what an absolute pain in the arse it is.

I would definitely pronounce Eleanor as you would prefer (and agree that it's much nicer than Elen-or.) I would always read El-ay-na for Elena, though I think it's very pretty.

Ellena looks odd. Elena is pronounced Eh- lay-na. I prefer Helena or Eleanor or Ellen.

Elena is beautiful. I'd pronounce it Elen-ah.

Ellena looks strange and she would constantly have to spell her name out.

Eleanor sounds different (Elen-or)

I also like Elizabeth- nobody struggles to pronounce that!

Eleanor ends in -or. I don't find that very feminine.

Elena is often pronounced Elen-a and once told, most people should remember.

Otherwise how about Ellen?

I would call her Helena Elizabeth. Ellena looks weird although I understand why you spell it that way.

The Eleanors I know are pronounced El-en-a anyway, Elinor is pronounced with the "or" but there will always be people who pronounce things differently. The Elenas I know have been Spanish and pronounced El-ay-na so I get where you are coming from there.

I know an Elena (adult) - she pronounces it Elayna. OP, I get your logic, your spelling is fine!

The Spanish pronunciation is elayna, which I imagine is why it's also the way all the Americans I know pronounce it that way. I think in popular culture most people will start seeing Elena as elayna. Honestly OP I think it's lovely but probably not lovely enough for me to put up with mispronunciations and explanations. However when I saw the spelling first I did assume Ellen-a would be the pronunciation, and I'm someone who would read Elena as Elayna.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=6TySOgiUv04

We have an Eleanor pronounced "Elean-uh" not "Elean-or". I think if you're worried about people pronouncing Eleanor with the "or" (which does happen, we just correct them), then you'd be better or using "Elena" rather than a made up spelling (basically the name Ellen with an a on the end) people won't know how to pronounce or spell.

@Grufallosfriends it doesn’t always work like that. Names are not always pronounced how they are spelt. But I guess it’s upto the parents what pronunciation they use?

I don't understand why Elena would be pronounced Elayna?

In French, Italian etc it is pronounced El eh na (emphasis on eh) and in German Elen ah (emphasis on El) So where does the -ay sound come from?

I read Ellena as ell-ee-na

I know 2 Elenas, both pronounced ‘eh lay na’...

I much prefer the Elena spelling!

Every Elena I've known has pronounced it Elen-ah.

I have an Ellena. We pronounce it Ellen-a. I didn’t want an Ele-nor or an E-lay-na. People often mis spelt it as Eleanor though.

She always insisted on being an Elle until she was about 20 but uses her full name now and loves it.

Lovely name (not bias at all)! Was often complimented on it. Elizabeth goes well with it. I’ve only come across one other person with that same spelling.

As someone who has a well known name with a slightly different spelling, having your name constantly misspelled or having to spell it out ("that's with a double L and an A at the end") can be a bit of a pain at times.
Also, when I was a child I was gutted that I could never find keyrings, badges, cups, pencils etc with my name on them.

Not sure why you are changing the spelling of Elena ? I know a few Elena's and they are said the right way. Never heard of a 'eh lay na' being used for elena