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Baby names

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Original poster

Love the name Eleanor but we can’t say it right??

83 replies

IamJob · 15/02/2022 14:12

So DH and I both love the name Eleanor but realised we both say el-e-ner rather than how it should be pronounced el-a-nor

We’ve tried but we can’t say it correctly! It’s so weird! We both come from different regions too. Does anyone else say el-e-ner or do we have to veto the name?

Other names we like:
Madeleine (mad-e-lynn)
Juliet
Olivia

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LizzieAnt · 15/02/2022 18:29

The Phonetic Nor end is American

In the UK it’s pronounced Ell-En-Ah (or by some RP accents as El-Lin-Ah)

Not all accents in the UK are non-rhotic - Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of England all have rhotic accents that mean the r in Eleanor is pronounced.

Luredbyapomegranate · 15/02/2022 18:05

@Blubells

Maybe I've watched too many episodes of The Good Place featuring Eleanor Shellstrop.

It's definitely EleNOR.

@Blubells

Only in the US

Luredbyapomegranate · 15/02/2022 18:05

The Phonetic Nor end is American

In the UK it’s pronounced Ell-En-Ah (or by some RP accents as El-Lin-Ah)

Madeline is either MAH-Dah-Len or MAH-Dah-Lin
Sometimes the middle syllable is swallowed to sound more like the French, but these are tiny differences.

They are popular names, just crack on. (And correct the odd fan of The Good Place who uses the Yankee style)

RuthW · 15/02/2022 17:16

You are saying it correctly.

Classica · 15/02/2022 16:58

@Blubells

Maybe I've watched too many episodes of The Good Place featuring Eleanor Shellstrop.

It's definitely EleNOR.

Yes, EleNOR is definitely one of the pronunciations.
Blubells · 15/02/2022 16:51

Maybe I've watched too many episodes of The Good Place featuring Eleanor Shellstrop.

It's definitely EleNOR.

IntermittentParps · 15/02/2022 16:40

I pronounce it like you do too. It's fine. I'd say it's correct.
Fantastic name. Makes me think of the admirable and formidable Eleanor of Aquitaine.

Jeelypieces20storeys · 15/02/2022 16:07

I pronounce it like you do.

Incidentally, i know twi s callex Eleanor & juliet, everyone loves their names!

Ontopofthesunset · 15/02/2022 16:07

I live in the South East so we don't pronounce the 'r' at the end of words. I have known loads of Eleanors and they all pronounce it EL-uh-nuh with the stress on the first syllable. The last two syllables aren't stressed so they don't have a distinct vowel sound (it's two schwa sounds). I have known fewer Elenas but they all pronounced it El-AY-nuh with the stress on the middle syllable.

Paddingtonthebear · 15/02/2022 16:03

I know an Eleanor and I wasn’t sure of the pronunciation as it can vary so much. We are in the South of England and her mum said they say it as per the song “Eleanor Rigby”.

When I was young I had a friend called Elena. Her family were Greek and pronounced it “el-EN-a” quickly but with emphasis on the EN. Since then I’ve come across a few where it’s pronounced more like “Eh-Leen-a” or “Eh-LAY-na”

I work with children and Evelyn is always one we have to ask about as has two different pronunciations. Same for Maya and recently Leila / Layla as some people use Leila but pronounce it Lee-La. Beatrice pronunciation is also known to divide opinion at work!

JurgensCakeBabyJesus · 15/02/2022 15:56

I know two Eleanors both pronounce the nor , one actually goes by Nora most of the time. I like the name though. I'm from London and so is one of them the other is from Surrey

TooExtraImmatureCheddar · 15/02/2022 15:47

Go and watch Disney’s Brave and by the time you’ve heard Billy Connolly shout “Elinorrrr” twenty times in five minutes you’ll wish she stayed a bear and bit his head off.

FallenSkies · 15/02/2022 15:44

I know an Eleanor, pronounced EL-en-uh. She is from the south east but has family from the West Country who all pronounce it ele-NORE, even after she has corrected them. They tell her she pronounces her own name incorrectly 🙄

I always thought that Elena was pronounced with the emphasis in the middle, el-EH-nuh, but would pronounce it however the person who's name it was told me to!

I think it's a beautiful name.

Survivingmy3yearold · 15/02/2022 15:43

I have an Eleanor, I tend to pronounce the nor on the end when I say it, but to be honest she's just Ellie most of the time, I regularly forget that her name is actually Eleanor and not Ellie Grin

PinkButtercups · 15/02/2022 15:37

I say Elea-NER.

I know someone who's daughter is called Eleanor and she really pronounces the NOR. It just sounds odd.

OurWorldIsChanging · 15/02/2022 15:35

I like it when Nicholas Cage says in Gone in 60 seconds.

Blubells · 15/02/2022 15:33

I much prefer Ellen or Elena.

Blubells · 15/02/2022 15:32

have an Eleanor. I call her Eleanore

In German it's Eleonore and pronounced
Ell e o nor eh. 5 syllables.

Playdoughcaterpillar · 15/02/2022 15:30

I would say Eleanor (Ella nuh) and Elinore (elli NORE) 2 different names

Haveyoubrushedyourteeth · 15/02/2022 15:21

My daughter is called Eleanor and we pronounce it like you OP. I don't like the other pronunciation at all, because for me it just doesn't flow properly.

LizzieAnt · 15/02/2022 15:14

Eleanor is said differently in different accents as this link shows -
forvo.com/word/eleanor/
I'm Irish and say it as Ellen-er (r pronounced). 'Nore' emphasised as the last syllable is quite American I think.

BrinksmansEntry · 15/02/2022 15:11

El en er here.

Unless you are glaswegian, then it would be Ellner.

tkwal · 15/02/2022 15:06

How about Elinor/Elinora

bitchinofhitchen · 15/02/2022 15:00

We have an adopted Eleanor who calls herself el-le-nuh and pretty much everyone else does too. She gets the odd person trying to pronounce it the American way like Eleanor Roosevelt's name but it's not exactly far enough off to be a problem
No one shortens it to Ellie ever which amazes me.

Doggydreaming · 15/02/2022 14:55

I have an Eleanor. I call her Eleanore and my partner calls her Eleanuh, most of my family call her Eleanah Grin I don't think there is a correct pronunciation, it's just preference and/or accent.

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