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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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CraftyClara · 09/08/2022 18:01

Helen-uh.

AdelaideRo · 09/08/2022 18:00

Both pronunciations in my social circle.

Hell -A - Nuh is used by a friend with scandi family background as this most closely mimics the pronounciation in her Mum's native language (but isn't quite accurate).

Helen-ah is used by a colleague and another friend's daughter and is I think the more usual pronunciation (I live in London).

Helen-ah teen always used to correct my pronouciation when I talked about Hell-a-Nuh (adult) until they met and then the adult explained to the teen that she uses a different pronunciation and actually I wasn't getting her name wrong but was respecting her wishes.

Teen Helen-ah hadn't realised you could pronounce it differently.

Original poster
HinchcliffeandMurgatroyd · 09/08/2022 18:00

I always just assumed Hell-uh-nuh before I thought about it more deeply.

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DesMoulinsRouge · 09/08/2022 18:00

In Germany it would be pronounced Hel ay na

KangarooKenny · 09/08/2022 17:58

Hel-ay-na.
But I know someone with this name and they say it Helen-a.

EllieQ · 09/08/2022 17:58

There’s a girl in my daughters class is called Helena, pronounced Hel-ay-na, but her mum says most people pronounce it as Helen-a as that’s the usual English pronunciation (I’m in Yorkshire).

Original poster
HinchcliffeandMurgatroyd · 09/08/2022 17:58

My sister is insisting that Hel-AY-nuh is the Germanic pronunciation but I’m not sure whether that’s right.

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Johnnysgirl · 09/08/2022 17:57

HelAYna

Oneforposy7 · 09/08/2022 17:57

We have one and are in the north west. We pronounce it Helen-ah. She does on occasion get Hell-ay-na but not often and she's old enough to correct them.

Sandysandwich · 09/08/2022 17:55

Helen-uh

LaMadameCholet · 09/08/2022 17:55

I would say Hell- eh- na, but have also heard it pronounced Hell - ain -a, like in A Midsummer Night’s Drean

Maireas · 09/08/2022 17:55

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

MajorCarolDanvers · 09/08/2022 17:55

Hell-Lee-Na

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 09/08/2022 17:54

Stress on first syllable. Just like Helen, but with an extra syllable. I believe Helena Bonham-Carter's name is pronounced like that.

SockQueen · 09/08/2022 17:54

HELL-uh-nuh.

I used to read it as Hel-AY-nuh as a child but was told that was wrong

midgetastic · 09/08/2022 17:53

I'd struggle

I have heard

Hell E na. (Long sounding )

And hell A na ( much shorter )

I have lived north and south