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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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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eandz13 · 15/02/2022 14:54

You are saying it right. That's how I've pronounced my own name for nearly 30 years anyway!

jimmyhill · 15/02/2022 14:51

I know this is hard to imagine but you'll only ever call her Ellie so it won't be a huge issue

thevassal · 15/02/2022 14:48

@Classica

I've always thought the ella-nore pronunciation to be American. All the Eleanors I know are ella-nur.
Not sure about this - the ell-en-OR I knew went to a well known private school and was very upper middle class. Although tbh if it was true she mispronounced her name the American way I'd find it hilarious (she didn't like americans).
Original poster
IamJob · 15/02/2022 14:47

It’s a minefield! All the names we like seem to have a million ways of saying them! Madeleine / Madeline is another one we’ve confused ourselves over!

Don’t know what is wrong with us and what we’re picking!

We can at least say Juliet and Olivia correctly but prefer Eleanor and Madeleine

OP posts:
Classica · 15/02/2022 14:46

Some names are just that bit more high maintenance.

Classica · 15/02/2022 14:45

What about Helena is that helen-ah or hell-ain-ah!

There's also hell-ee-nah.

thevassal · 15/02/2022 14:44

@Blubells

All the Eleanors I've met pronounce it Ell en NOR.

Elena is pronounced Ell en ah.

See I would pronounce elena el-ain-ah rather than el-en-ah! Even though I would pronounce Ellen on its own ell-en.

Minefield!
What about Helena is that helen-ah or hell-ain-ah!

lizziesiddal79 · 15/02/2022 14:42

@Classica

I've always thought the ella-nore pronunciation to be American. All the Eleanors I know are ella-nur.
This.
thevassal · 15/02/2022 14:41

@Sunbird24

I don’t see anything wrong with your pronunciation OP, use it if you love it! I don’t know anyone who actually says the or ending…
Oh god I remember going to school with a girl who properly enunciated the "ell-en-ORRR" and snapped "if you can't pronounce it right just call me Ellie."

I called her something less polite after that.

Blubells · 15/02/2022 14:40

I have a friend with a baby Elena who pronounces it like you.
To my ears that's a different name to Eleanor (which I'm not keen on, don't like the nor sound at the end!)

I also much prefer Elena to Eleanor.

Blubells · 15/02/2022 14:38

All the Eleanors I've met pronounce it Ell en NOR.

Elena is pronounced Ell en ah.

987qwertyp · 15/02/2022 14:37

An Eleanor here. The song Eleanor Rigby gives the main UK pronunciation (basically ELLa-nur as others have said, with stress on the ELL). If you're raising her in the UK you'll almost always get Ella-nur. As with any three syllable name, check you like at least one of the common diminutives as people will probably want to shorten it (Ellie, Elle, Nell.... etc). I like having it as a name. I like your other choices too.

KnottyKnitting · 15/02/2022 14:34

My DD is called Eleanor and we have always said it as you do. My dad is the exception as he always insists on saying it with an emphasis on the "nor" at the end insisting that this is the way to pronounce it despite us ( who chose the name) and DD her self who say otherwise. Apparently our opinion doesn't matter.. 🙄

EatingJunkAndWatchingRubbish · 15/02/2022 14:33

I have a friend with a baby Elena who pronounces it like you.
To my ears that's a different name to Eleanor (which I'm not keen on, don't like the nor sound at the end!)

dementedma · 15/02/2022 14:29

Love the French pronunciation.
Ell- AY-a- nor

SusannaQueen · 15/02/2022 14:28

I'm an Eleanor and pronounce it Eleanuh, I really hate it when people have the cheek to correct me on my own name!
My Mum really wanted to name me Elinor after the Chalet Girls author, but she thought I'd spend my life spelling it out to people, newsflash - no one can spell Eleanor eitherConfused

Original poster
IamJob · 15/02/2022 14:28

@Eleanorbeleanor gosh I’ve no idea. Maybe we do emphasis the ETT.

It doesn’t help that whenever we like a name and say it a few times it just starts to sound weird. 🙈

OP posts:
EmpressaurusWitchDoesntBurn · 15/02/2022 14:27

I have a relative called Eleanor who uses the Ell-e-ner pronunciation, agree the -nore one is American so you’re fine.

Eleanorbeleanor · 15/02/2022 14:25

I do also like Juliet, but only with the emphasis on the first syllable (ie not JuliETTE) - I am sensing a theme here!!

stickygotstuck · 15/02/2022 14:25

This won't help you OP, but I have known an Eleanor for almost 10 years and only recently realised her name is not Elena (she goes by Ella).

That has been puzzling me every since. I had no idea people pronounced it the same! They are not the same name, they don't have the same spelling, they are totally unrelated names. Why then?

Original poster
IamJob · 15/02/2022 14:23

Thank you so much all!! We both thought we were going crazy in the car trying to say el-a-NOR. It was so forced whereas el-e-ner came naturally.

So it’s not just us then!

@Classica agree re Juliet but we’re a bit unsure re Romeo and Juliet if it’ll seem pretentious/ lead to teasing. It’s Not a very popular name where we are.

@Sunbird24 excellent idea Grin and great song.

@Eleanorbeleanor thanks! Good to know.

OP posts:
NuffSaidSam · 15/02/2022 14:21

In London we say 'El-en-uh'

I know Americans and Irish who say 'El-en-nor'.

I don't think they're both correct though.

JohannSebastianBach · 15/02/2022 14:20

Juliet would be Juli-ut among my lancastrian relatives.

JohannSebastianBach · 15/02/2022 14:19

I'm from the North West and would say Elen-er

Classica · 15/02/2022 14:18

Juliet is much nicer though from your list.

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