How would you pronounce Helena?

HinchcliffeandMurgatroyd · 2022-08-09T16:51:19+00:00

Just that really. Home country/region might have an effect, I think.

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Eliode2000 · 19/08/2022 15:44

Hell-A-na

ITriedToStopSwearingButICunt · 13/08/2022 19:35

It's my mum's name. She's Hel-LEN- a, emphasis on the 'len'.

She's Scottish but with a Polish background.

Not sure how some are mentioning the correct Shakespearean pronunciation... how could they possibly know??

Original poster

HinchcliffeandMurgatroyd · 12/08/2022 17:38

Yes Helenas probably have to make peace with specifying their pronunciation a lot.

OP posts:

Enko · 12/08/2022 16:59

He Leh nah

He layna

Hell. Eh na

I know 3 they each say it a different way. I say it as they introduce themselves

dmask · 12/08/2022 15:36

Same as I would say Elena but with an H, so Hell-ay-na

Thatswhyimacat · 12/08/2022 15:34

I'd say it Hel-ay-nuh automatically, but obviously it can be pronounced Hel-uh-nah.

pinklavenders · 11/08/2022 10:29

It could be like Helen with an a on the end, or like Elena

I say Elen-a and Helen-a exactly the same!

Ignoranceisbliss44 · 11/08/2022 09:41

It could be like Helen with an a on the end, or like Elena (ell-ay-na) with an H at the start.

babyjellyfish · 11/08/2022 09:10

Like Helen but with an a on the end.

But if I met a Helena who pronounced it another way, e.g. Hel-ay-na, I wouldn't have trouble remembering it for the next time.

Luredbyapomegranate · 11/08/2022 00:32

HEL-EN-uh which I think will be the default

Hel-AYE-nuh only if asked to

SuperCamp · 10/08/2022 18:05

Helen-uh
or
Helayna

Depending on how the person themselves pronounces it.

I am used to both.

Both are common and ‘correct’.

SummaLuvin · 10/08/2022 17:15

Hell-en-uh is probably the one I would use automatically. But the only Helena I have actually met said it Hell-ay-nuh and used Laney as a nn which I thought was really pretty.

Lesserspottedmama · 10/08/2022 16:16

In Shakespeare, Helena is pronounced HEL-eh-na.

mondaytosunday · 10/08/2022 16:10

As @SockQueen does. I have a friend with this name that's how she pronounces it. I really like it.

Marynotsocontrary · 10/08/2022 15:58

pinklavenders · 10/08/2022 15:52

If people prefer Helayna, then spell it like that!

I don't think you can insist that everyone use your preferred pronunciation of the name @pinklavenders😁

GrouchyKiwi · 10/08/2022 15:56

My sister writes hers Heléna. I don't know if it's accurate, but it helps people in NZ know that she uses the Hel-ay-na pronunciation. So that might be an option for anyone who prefers that version.

Qazwsxefv · 10/08/2022 15:53

Clearly it’s Helen-a (HEL-en-ah) but then I’m a Helen so I’m probably biased

pinklavenders · 10/08/2022 15:52

If people prefer Helayna, then spell it like that!

Keladrythesaviour · 10/08/2022 15:51

I love Hel-ay-na and would called a child that, but I know 99% of people would call them Hel-len-na which I don't like so much.

pinklavenders · 10/08/2022 15:49

Yes, that's how I'd pronounce the eh

It's more of a long EH sound rather than AY.

But whereas Helene has the emphasis on the second syllable, Helena does not always. So more of a HELena.

Original poster

HinchcliffeandMurgatroyd · 10/08/2022 15:47

So that actually gives us at least four fairly common pronunciations. Ah well.

OP posts:

Original poster

HinchcliffeandMurgatroyd · 10/08/2022 15:46

GrouchyKiwi · 10/08/2022 15:14

pinklavenders Would you pronounce Helene/a like this video? If so, that's the sound people are meaning, it's just their accents are putting a bit more stress on the middle syllable and in most British accents that sounds like the vowel in "day". It's a fair approximation of the German pronunciation, for a Brit.

Yes that middle sound is what I’m rendering as “ay” in my southern English accent. But actually @pinklavenders os also right that the first two syllables both have that sound in German pr., so I’d actually write that “Hay-lay-huh” now I think if it.

OP posts:

Original poster

HinchcliffeandMurgatroyd · 10/08/2022 15:43

mistermagpie · 10/08/2022 15:09

I know three.

One is Heh-lay-na
One is Heh-lee-na
One is Heh-len-a

First syllable is the same in all of them, the same as the start of 'Helen'.

This doesn't help, but illustrates why I wouldn't name a child Helena.

Oh I don’t know. It’s better than having to correct or stipulate the spelling all the time, I think.

OP posts:

GrouchyKiwi · 10/08/2022 15:14

pinklavenders Would you pronounce Helene/a like this video? If so, that's the sound people are meaning, it's just their accents are putting a bit more stress on the middle syllable and in most British accents that sounds like the vowel in "day". It's a fair approximation of the German pronunciation, for a Brit.

AreolaGrande · 10/08/2022 15:10

Hel-EEE-na in Northern Ireland.

I know numerous, all pronounced the same.