Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

How would you pronounce Elena?

110 replies

Goscat · 02/03/2025 17:26

Latin family loving in the UK. We want to use this name but are unsure how Brits (Scots specifically will pronounce it?)

It should be Eh-LEH-na

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
AllProperTeaIsTheft · 02/03/2025 18:41

Brainstorm23 · 02/03/2025 18:09

Northern Irish. I would say it how it's spelt so El-le-nor

Show quote history

Ah that makes sense then. Rhotic accent, like in Scotland (and most of the U.S., but not England).

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 02/03/2025 18:38

tipsandtoes · 02/03/2025 18:08

With no 'n' sound? You are the second person to say this. Is this how it is pronounced in some country?

Show quote history

Yes, it is the normal way of pronouncing it in England.

jmh740 · 02/03/2025 18:34

El e na

Moreteaandchocolate · 02/03/2025 18:27

I would guess at El-ay-na or Eleanor (without the “r”) if I saw it written down but would (try!) to copy whatever pronunciation you used if I heard it.

tipsandtoes · 02/03/2025 18:17

I much prefer El-lay-nah over Ellen-or

FelixDoublyDelicious · 02/03/2025 18:17

El - N - ahhh

tipsandtoes · 02/03/2025 18:16

@Brainstorm23

How on earth do people get El-uh-nuh from Eleanor?
You've never heard people pronounce it El-uh-nor?

Original poster
Goscat · 02/03/2025 18:15

Brainstorm23 · 02/03/2025 18:00

How on earth do people get El-uh-nuh from Eleanor?

Show quote history

I think that southern English say Eleanor without a hard r on the end...imagine the queen saying it 🤣

OP posts:
TimeForSprings · 02/03/2025 18:09

Eh-lay-na and elaine-a are nigh on identical to me (and el-lay-a is pretty close too).

I wouldn't get close to Eleanor with any of the above pronunciations tho. It's totally different, imo.

SnakesAndArrows · 02/03/2025 18:09

Brainstorm23 · 02/03/2025 18:00

How on earth do people get El-uh-nuh from Eleanor?

Show quote history

You know how the Beatles pronounced it in Eleanor Rigby? Like that.

Brainstorm23 · 02/03/2025 18:09

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 02/03/2025 18:05

That's how most English people pronounce that name. Are you Scottish by any chance?

Show quote history

Northern Irish. I would say it how it's spelt so El-le-nor

tipsandtoes · 02/03/2025 18:08

NotVeryFunny · 02/03/2025 17:29

I would pronounce it El-ay-a if I didn't know otherwise.

With no 'n' sound? You are the second person to say this. Is this how it is pronounced in some country?

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 02/03/2025 18:07

Most English people pronounce the 'or' at the end of a word as 'uh'. Like in 'decorator', 'translator' etc.

showmethegin · 02/03/2025 18:06

El-ay-na but we've spent loads of time in Greece and all the people we know called Elena are Greek

HardenYourHeart · 02/03/2025 18:06

A - lay - na

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 02/03/2025 18:05

Brainstorm23 · 02/03/2025 18:00

How on earth do people get El-uh-nuh from Eleanor?

Show quote history

That's how most English people pronounce that name. Are you Scottish by any chance?

Iwishiwasapolarbear · 02/03/2025 18:05

Eh- len- uh

like how I say Eleanor (I don’t emphasise the r in Eleanor)

Allatonce2024 · 02/03/2025 18:04

Eh-lenn-a

BoleynMemories13 · 02/03/2025 18:03

I would assume El-ay-na.

Brainstorm23 · 02/03/2025 18:00

LadyGreySpillsTheTea · 02/03/2025 17:32

The Elena we know calls it EL-uh-nuh (which is identical to the more common Eleanor) but is perfectly aware that others say El-AY-nah. Especially if you have a Latin background nobody would be surprised at a DC called El-AY-nah.

How on earth do people get El-uh-nuh from Eleanor?

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 02/03/2025 17:57

This is true. I'm just so used to hearing it in a Spanish accent that it's hard to imagine.

Ok - I really don't think it will be said like you want it then. It will sound like 'Elaine-uh'. Tbh I would pronounce it like that unless I were actually in Spain or speaking Spanish to a Spanish person!

BreatheAndFocus · 02/03/2025 17:56

Eh-LAY-nuh. If you want EH-lun-a spell it Helena or Ellena.

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 02/03/2025 17:55

I should maybe add that I'm a languages teacher, so I've got long years of detailed experience of (and interest in) how English people tend to pronounce foreign words and names!

Original poster
Goscat · 02/03/2025 17:54

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 02/03/2025 17:53

I think the majority of English speakers would promounce it 'elaine-a', because that's what your 'eh leh na' pronunciation would actually sound like in an English accent. They'd pretty much have to put on a Spanish accent to make it not sound like that.

Show quote history

This is true. I'm just so used to hearing it in a Spanish accent that it's hard to imagine.

Might have to start asking random people to say it so I can hear 🤣

OP posts:
AllProperTeaIsTheft · 02/03/2025 17:53

Goscat · 02/03/2025 17:44

Sounds like a mix 🤣 I guess we'll just have to go for it if we like it.

I'm not so worried about it being said like Eleanor because in Scotland people pronounce Eleanor with a heard R at the end, not diminished like English. It's more the elaine-a possibility.

I think the majority of English speakers would promounce it 'elaine-a', because that's what your 'eh leh na' pronunciation would actually sound like in an English accent. They'd pretty much have to put on a Spanish accent to make it not sound like that.