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Baby names

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Original poster

Eleanor and Elena - do you pronounce these differently?

98 replies

Sarasaywhat · 21/11/2023 23:00

If so, how would you pronounce Elena?

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Theresit · 22/11/2023 22:25

EL- an- ur
el-AIN- a

DarkAcademia · 22/11/2023 22:24

eh-LAY-nah
EH-leh-nuhrrr

Clingfilm · 22/11/2023 22:22

I'd say
Elin-ur
Eh-leen-ah, like Lena Zavaroni (whoooo?)

I am Welsh though.

bleuclair · 22/11/2023 22:10

I think it might just be regional. I prefer the el-a-nor pronunciation and this one is used the most in S & S adaptations, though some Austen characters use the Ellen-uh pronunciation, just to confuse things.

So no, I don't pronounce Elena and Eleanor the same.

I do like Eleanora too, though, just to add.

CowboyJoanna · 22/11/2023 22:09

Elena = El-AY-nah

Eleanor = EL-lah-nah

Riverlee · 22/11/2023 22:05

i seem to be pronouncing Eleanor differently.

Elle - Lee - Nor

Elena

Elle - Lean (longer sound) - Na

Headingforholidays · 22/11/2023 21:55

My DD is Eleanor and not one person has ever pronounced it El-a-nor so it must be regional. Here it is ellen-uh.

TriceratopsRocks · 22/11/2023 20:19

Eleanor is like in Eleanor Rigby, to me. I know others have 'nor' at the end though. El-ah-na is the closest I can spell! Elena I'd say El-ay-na.

Bearpawk · 22/11/2023 20:15

Eh- leh- na.
Eh- lar- nor.

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 22/11/2023 20:02

Elena - el-ay-nuh
eleanor el-uh-nuh

kaceylena · 22/11/2023 15:51

Elena - Ah Lay Na
Eleanor - El en or

NonSequentialRhubarb · 22/11/2023 14:35

Eleanor is Ella-nuh. Elena is E-lay-nuh. A friend of a friend has an Elena pronounced like Eleanor and I just think it's going to be a lifetime of corrections for everyone.

Helena I would pronounce either way or even lean towards Helen-uh. But that's because there's no alternative spelling to divide them. Elena is always E-lay-nah just because I assume if you want the other pronunciation you'd have picked Eleanor.

AuntMarch · 22/11/2023 14:15

Based on the people I've known:

Elena I know was Eh-LEN-uh
Eleanor would be Ellen-oor (oor as in door)

(Elaina or Elayna would be Eh-Layn-ah, as some pp say they read Elena)

Cotswoldmama · 22/11/2023 14:13

Yes Eleanor is Ellie-nor, Elena I would pronounce as Eh-leh- nuh but could equally be ellen-uh

TheYearOfSmallThings · 22/11/2023 13:47

Eleanor I would pronounce El-a-nore

Elena I would pronounce El-en-ah

MerryMarigold · 22/11/2023 13:43

Just to complicate matters I know someone who is Ellena (2 x L) , pronounced 'Ellen-uh' like Eleanor Rigby (listen to the song to figure out how to pronounce it properly, there is no 'or' sound even with a scouse accent!).

Dinneronmybfpillow · 22/11/2023 13:42

I have an Eleanor....

We pronounce it Ellie-Norah or Ellie-Welly-Ding-Dong 😁

MerryMarigold · 22/11/2023 13:40

Elena - El-LAY-nuh
Eleanor - ELLen-uh

Liv999 · 22/11/2023 13:24

Elena (Ellen-a)
Eleanor (Ellen-er)
I'm in Ireland so I pronounce the OR more like ER

WoolyMammoth55 · 22/11/2023 13:22

Yes. Like almost everyone else! :)

Eleanor - ellen-ah
Elena - ell-ay-nah

elenabh · 22/11/2023 13:19

My name is Elena and it's pronounced "L-lay-na" or "eh-lay-na" 😊

peaceinourtime · 22/11/2023 13:03

They’re different names, they just sound somewhat similar

TallulahBetty · 22/11/2023 11:12

Elena = A-LANE-uh

Eleanor - ELL-an-nor

CurlewKate · 22/11/2023 10:31

El-aye-nah

Laurdo · 22/11/2023 10:30

Eleanor - ell-en-or
Elena - ell-ena

I went to school with an Elaina so I'd say Elena differently.