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Baby names

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Original poster

Helena

58 replies

caitlinrose · 08/11/2022 18:22

Helena is a name I liked a while back. I didn't even think of it for the longest time. I recently discovered it again.

What do you think of Helena?

I like that it's a classic but sometimes it bothers me that it has the "hell"-sound in it and does sound a bit dark and gloomy.

Does Ellie work as a nickname for Helena? Ellie is on our list too.

It's not like I wouldn't use Ellie as a full name, it's more that I like Helena and Ellie but I don't like any nicknames for Helena (Hellie, Lena, Leni) but I do like Ellie so wondering if this would work as a nickname from time to time or to offer to people who want to use a nickname so that they don't resort to Hellie.

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Spookypig · 08/11/2022 23:34

One of my favourite things about Helena is that it’s ancient and classy and has the elegance of Eleanor WITHOUT the tedious ‘Ellie’ nickname. I’d nickname my imaginary Helena Nell 😍

Milkyway00 · 08/11/2022 23:17

Absolutely beautiful and a timeless classic. Was on my list when pregnant but I had a boy ! Would definitely use it for a future DD. I'd go with the Hell-uh-na pronunciation.

OohMrBingley · 08/11/2022 23:16

Ok, Scandinavian way, then.

Gummibär · 08/11/2022 23:12

She pronounces it the Skandi/Germanic way, which is to pronounce the ‘e’ as a long ‘a’, so He-lay-na.

In German there is no -ay sound.

It's Hel-eh-ne

Thisisnotmyname2 · 08/11/2022 22:34

Elena works better if you want Ellie in my opinion.

loveisagirlnameddaisy · 08/11/2022 22:33

Love it! And love Nell as a NN (also, perhaps, more typically, used as NN for Helen).

Thisisnotmyname2 · 08/11/2022 22:33

I know a Helena pronounced Helaynuh nickname Laney (Laynee)

OohMrBingley · 08/11/2022 22:32

ncforyetanotherone · 08/11/2022 22:29

I like hel-eeena and that's how I thought Helena christensen's name was pronounced Blush

She pronounces it the Skandi/Germanic way, which is to pronounce the ‘e’ as a long ‘a’, so He-lay-na.

havemybreakfastthen · 08/11/2022 22:32

Beautiful name. Love it

yikesanotherbooboo · 08/11/2022 22:30

I love Helena but don't think that you can naturally relate Ellie to it. I think that Hel en ah has become the default pronunciation so occasional Hel at nahs or whatever wouldn't be a massive issue.

ncforyetanotherone · 08/11/2022 22:29

I like hel-eeena and that's how I thought Helena christensen's name was pronounced Blush

ChildrenOfTheQuorn · 08/11/2022 22:28

DotDotDotDotDot · 08/11/2022 19:59

Helena seems a nice enough name. Three possible pronunciations would annoy me though personally. Sorry but Ellie is the dullest possible name/nickname I can think of.

Haha, yes! I went to school with a Helena and she was just... Helena. No nickname necessary.

I don't think you have to worry about "Hel" because the emphasis is on the last syllable, isn't it? Unlike Helen for example.

OohMrBingley · 08/11/2022 22:26

bitachey · 08/11/2022 22:22

@OohMrBingley thanks. Well I’m in Scotland so not SE England. And yes I’d I know that we pronounce rs differently but I’ve never seen one added in when it wasn’t there to start with!

But they’re not adding an ‘R’, per se.

They’re utilising an R (er), to should how they would pronounce something.

bitachey · 08/11/2022 22:23

I know a Leni but I’m not that keen on that as a nickname

bitachey · 08/11/2022 22:22

@OohMrBingley thanks. Well I’m in Scotland so not SE England. And yes I’d I know that we pronounce rs differently but I’ve never seen one added in when it wasn’t there to start with!

lljkk · 08/11/2022 22:14

None or the 3 Helena's I've known had nicknams.

Ha-LEE-nuh is my favourite pronunciation.

Proamble · 08/11/2022 22:11

OohMrBingley · 08/11/2022 21:52

Because it is signalling how they would logically pronounce it.

So Helen-er

…would be how I, as someone with a non-rhotic accent would also pronounce any other word ending in ‘er’, e.g. rider, biker, gather, father, mother, etc.

All those words, in a non-rhotic accent, end the same way as the end of ‘Helen-a’ sounds (so: ride-a, fath-a, moth-a), etc.

It won’t be logical to someone with a rhotic accent, but it’s completely logical to someone with a non-rhotic accent.

Sorry for the frustration - it’s just that threads always gets derailed when someone says ‘the ‘R’ doesn’t make sense!’

And surely most people have heard how people with a non-rhotic accent pronounce their Rs - it’s the bog-standard BBC / southern England accent (I’m not British, before I get jumped for assuming everyone knows what this accent sounds like, but I do come from another English-speaking country, so if I know, I would imagine most British people have encountered such an accent).

Show quote history

Thanks! That makes perfect sense! I was confused as I would pronounce Helena like Elena (hell-ay-na/elle -ay-na). But the ending confused me with the ‘r’ as the poster you were referring to questioned, I didn’t get it, but you’ve explained it so well. I forget that some people say the ‘r’, like ‘ride-aa’, and ‘ride-errr’ as I’d say the former. I didn’t even realise I said ‘ride-aa’- looks so odd typed out like that!!

ZenNudist · 08/11/2022 22:02

It's a great name but I'm biased 😉 . You do get people trying to work out the pronunciation but it's never been a problem, certainly not annoying and there are other names that have varying vowel sounds. (E.G. Alicia could be Al-ee-see-ah or Al-ee-shah)

I never shorten it. It's short enough already but will answer to H. I don't like Ellie as a nn. If you want Ellie you need an Elena (which I dont like as it's Helena without the H) or Eleanor.

Helen is a totally different name and not a nn.

It's always been rare. I have met very few Helenas.

OohMrBingley · 08/11/2022 21:52

bitachey · 08/11/2022 20:26

No need to be rude @OohMrBingley - I don’t understand why they put the r in the way they pronounce it if they actually don’t pronounce the r as you say? Surely it’s then redundant? I totally understand that people speak differently but why add a random r if you don’t pronounce the r 😂

Because it is signalling how they would logically pronounce it.

So Helen-er

…would be how I, as someone with a non-rhotic accent would also pronounce any other word ending in ‘er’, e.g. rider, biker, gather, father, mother, etc.

All those words, in a non-rhotic accent, end the same way as the end of ‘Helen-a’ sounds (so: ride-a, fath-a, moth-a), etc.

It won’t be logical to someone with a rhotic accent, but it’s completely logical to someone with a non-rhotic accent.

Sorry for the frustration - it’s just that threads always gets derailed when someone says ‘the ‘R’ doesn’t make sense!’

And surely most people have heard how people with a non-rhotic accent pronounce their Rs - it’s the bog-standard BBC / southern England accent (I’m not British, before I get jumped for assuming everyone knows what this accent sounds like, but I do come from another English-speaking country, so if I know, I would imagine most British people have encountered such an accent).

Ifiwasabird · 08/11/2022 20:28

My DD is a Helena - pronounced Helen-ah. She gets Nell or Nellie as a nickname.

bitachey · 08/11/2022 20:26

No need to be rude @OohMrBingley - I don’t understand why they put the r in the way they pronounce it if they actually don’t pronounce the r as you say? Surely it’s then redundant? I totally understand that people speak differently but why add a random r if you don’t pronounce the r 😂

RoseBucket · 08/11/2022 20:08

Could you shorten it to Ella. Helena is lovely.

Gloschick · 08/11/2022 20:06

I like Helena but if you don't like the common shortened forms then I would be wary. Kids rarely end up with the nick-names that you plan. I really like the shortenings pronounced Layna/Layni, much more than Ellie. You could also probably stretch to Nell, although that is usually for Eleanor.

DotDotDotDotDot · 08/11/2022 19:59

Helena seems a nice enough name. Three possible pronunciations would annoy me though personally. Sorry but Ellie is the dullest possible name/nickname I can think of.

bitachey · 08/11/2022 19:58

Yes @TidyDancer that’s what it is. I’m Scottish so really pronounce my rrrrrrrrrrrrs 😁