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Original poster

How would you pronounce Helena?

116 replies

HinchcliffeandMurgatroyd · 09/08/2022 17:51

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

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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.

pinklavenders · 10/08/2022 15:07

Actually in German the first two syllables of Helena sound very similar.

Dalekjastninerels · 10/08/2022 15:06

Heleena

Helen-a

pinklavenders · 10/08/2022 15:05

If the "eh" you're writing is meant to sound like gehen

With 'eh' I mean the sound eh like the first syllable of gehen, yes.

But that's not 'ay' Confused

GrouchyKiwi · 10/08/2022 15:02

pinklavenders · 10/08/2022 14:42

If I was in Germany, I'd say Hel-AY-nuh

Why are people assuming it's AY in Germany?
It's not!

It's Hel eh na. 3 equal syllables.

If the "eh" you're writing is meant to sound like gehen, then it's pretty much the same sound as English speakers are meaning when they write "ay". Like in the word "mate".

See the table under e: in the Wiki article for German IPA en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Standard_German

Footbal · 10/08/2022 14:49

Hell e Na

SizzlerFizzler · 10/08/2022 14:48

pinklavenders · 10/08/2022 14:07

Either Helen a or Hell EH na

Yes.

There's no AY or EE sound!!

Well there is an EE sound for Irish Helenas.

And there's also an EE sound when referring to the island of St Helena.

Deal with it.

LittleGreenBeetle · 10/08/2022 14:47

I would say HELL-en-uh
But my mum always says Hel-EEE-na

GCBookseller · 10/08/2022 14:43

My first thought was ‘Hel-Ay-Na’, maybe thanks to a childhood in Germany. Then I thought, oh, there’s ‘Helen-ah’ too.

pinklavenders · 10/08/2022 14:42

If I was in Germany, I'd say Hel-AY-nuh

Why are people assuming it's AY in Germany?
It's not!

It's Hel eh na. 3 equal syllables.

SenecaFallsRedux · 10/08/2022 14:38

At Princess Eugenie's wedding, the officiant and she pronounced it as
Hel-AY-nuh when they said her full name, Eugenie Victoria Helena.

Greensleeves · 10/08/2022 14:26

In the UK, HEL-en-uh

If I was in Germany, I'd say Hel-AY-nuh

Blughbablugh · 10/08/2022 14:23

I would pronounce it Hel e na but then I've been called He layna or even Hel eena and of course people think its Helen. The only thing is she will be having to correct people constantly as people pronounce it different ways and it does get annoying.

Bouledeneige · 10/08/2022 14:18

I've heard it pronounced all 3 ways:

  • Hel- lay-na
  • Hell EE na
  • Helen A

One example of the first pronunciation had an accent on the E to make it clear.

I live in London.

MeMe3Spoons · 10/08/2022 14:11

Worked with an Helena many years ago, was introduced and everyone pronounced Ha-lee-na

pinklavenders · 10/08/2022 14:07

Either Helen a or Hell EH na

Yes.

There's no AY or EE sound!!

ChickenRat · 10/08/2022 11:53

I met one recently who pronounced it HELL-ena

liveforsummer · 10/08/2022 11:50

Either Helen a or Hell EH na

LizzieAnt · 10/08/2022 11:21

Irish, so Hel-EE-na here.

I've heard that the island Saint Helena is pronounced like this too.

belleager · 10/08/2022 02:35

As in handbasket, if they're British.

Heleena if Irish

Helayna if German, Slavic, Hispanic

olivida · 10/08/2022 01:40

I've heard Helen-uh and Hel-AY-nuh but i only like the first one

Original poster
HinchcliffeandMurgatroyd · 10/08/2022 01:01

Hel-een-uh, I mean.

OP posts:
Original poster
HinchcliffeandMurgatroyd · 10/08/2022 01:00

I hadn’t even come across the third possibility (hel-even-uh) until this thread.

OP posts:
AlwaysLatte · 10/08/2022 00:53

I have a relative with that name and she's Hellaynah.

Daisy1992 · 10/08/2022 00:30

Hell-ay-nah