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Baby names

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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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ButterflyBitch · 09/08/2022 21:35

When I was younger i would have said Helen-ah now I might say Hel AY na but I’d probably ask first to be sure.

underneaththeash · 09/08/2022 21:32

Maireas · 09/08/2022 17:55

That's an interesting one, because I've heard it
Helen - ah
Hel -ay- nah
Both pretty!

I have friends with both pronunciations- both NW.

Sorryisjustaword · 09/08/2022 21:31

It’s pronounced exactly the way the parents want it to be pronounced!

Carrieonmywaywardsun · 09/08/2022 21:30

Hel lay nuh.
Unless corrected, I've known both hel lay nuh's and hell un uh's

Numbat2022 · 09/08/2022 21:29

English friend pronounces it Helen-ah.

Swedish friend pronounces it Hell-ay-na.

I don't think there's one correct one, it's just whichever people prefer or is closest to their native language pronunciation.

FlissyPaps · 09/08/2022 21:28

Ellen-uh

(From Yorkshire and we don’t pronounce ‘H’)

ZenNudist · 09/08/2022 21:27

Hell- eh- na.
But there are many variants. You can't really take offence at people getting it "wrong"!

Good name...

Hercisback · 09/08/2022 21:25

He lay nah
West Midlands but have heard Hel een ah and also Helen ah.

TheBirdintheCave · 09/08/2022 21:23

My cousin is HEL-eh-na.

My Brazilian colleague is heh-LAY-na.

RosemaryJuice · 09/08/2022 21:17

I know a Helena pronounced Helen-a and one pronounced Hel-ee-na.

I’ve also heard of the Hel-ay-na pronunciation.

If I had to guess how a Helena pronounced her name I’d go for Helen-a as that seems the most common where I am but I wouldn’t be surprised if she pronounced it differently.

MadMadMadamMim · 09/08/2022 18:55

To rhyme with Eleanor.

Hell- en-uh.

Luxa · 09/08/2022 18:55

Helen-a

agedasiago · 09/08/2022 18:53

My Swedish coworker is Helena, pronounced like heh-lenn-ah, equal stress on each syllable (she explains it as the first part of "Helen, a letter has come for you"). But she also says it's most often pronounced heh-LEHN-uh in Sweden, hers is the typical Finnish pronunciation after her ethnically Finnish but Swedish-born-and-raised grandmother. Seems there are lots of variables to this name internationally and linguistically.

I also know an American Helena who is heh-LAY-nah.

Lulu1919 · 09/08/2022 18:14

Hell a na

Minecraftatemychild · 09/08/2022 18:13

“Hell - en - uh”

(south east england)

Cotswoldmama · 09/08/2022 18:12

Helen-uh

DesMoulinsRouge · 09/08/2022 18:12

HinchcliffeandMurgatroyd · 09/08/2022 18:01

Oh so big sis is right again?

Maybe Queen V used that pronunciation for her daughter and that’s how we ended up with a split?

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Yeah sorry she is right!

Original poster
HinchcliffeandMurgatroyd · 09/08/2022 18:11

Looks fairly split here.

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oswego · 09/08/2022 18:07

Hel-ee-na, emphasis on the ee

ReindeerGames · 09/08/2022 18:04

Instinctively, Hell Ay Na, but I know Hel Enn Ah is just as likely so I'd probably try to find out which it was. South East England but am not sure it's regional,think it's just how the Helena you know best pronounces it!

SirChenjins · 09/08/2022 18:03

Like Bonham-Carter - Helen-uh, with a slight emphasis on the Helen

Lochroy · 09/08/2022 18:02

We have a Hel-ay-na in the family. Northern Scots relatives pronounce it more like Hel-ee-na.

The other option I'm aware of is Helen-a, but due to our relative we always default to Hel-ay-na. (And I'm prob biased but I prefer that).

AdelaideRo · 09/08/2022 18:01

Teen Helen-a has a german mother so I"m not sure the germanic argument holds true.

MassiveSalad22 · 09/08/2022 18:01

HEL-en-uh, from south England

Original poster
HinchcliffeandMurgatroyd · 09/08/2022 18:01

DesMoulinsRouge · 09/08/2022 18:00

In Germany it would be pronounced Hel ay na

Oh so big sis is right again?

Maybe Queen V used that pronunciation for her daughter and that’s how we ended up with a split?

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