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Original poster

What do people think of Ellen?

27 replies

TooMuchMakkaPakka · 17/12/2008 01:28

I love it, but will she get confused with all those Ellas and Ellie's out there?

Will there be H/Ellen confusions in places where people drop their 'h's?

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Lulubee · 18/12/2008 21:58

Go for it, it's lovely! There is a river Ellen where I am from, I've always liked it.

Original poster
TooMuchMakkaPakka · 18/12/2008 21:30

Thanks for your opinions. We do live in Yorkshire so the dropped Hs could well be an issue.
Ellen Degeneras really annoyed me when she got married lately and said how lucky she was to have a wife to cook and clean for her- a man could never get away with that and a woman shouldn't either! But it doesn't really colour my impression of the name. I was thinking of Ellen McArthur who sailed around the world on her own or something at the age of 26, now that is quite inspiring. DD if she is like me or DH will get sea sick on cross channel ferries but at least the singleminded determination and hard work is something to aspire to.

OP posts:
Sesi · 17/12/2008 21:31

Eleanor or Helena are a lot nicer. Ellen seems a bit prim and staid.

Also the Ellen Degeneras association would put me off.

SmilePlease · 17/12/2008 20:39

My bestest buddy in the whole work is called Ellen. Nobody has ever shortened it and she's refused to let it happen and i've never heard of anyonne getting it confused with Helen. Maybe it's an area thing?

But to be fair she's always been called by her surname (well, since school) so this replaces any nicknames like 'Ellie' and 'Ella'.

Flibbertyjibbet · 17/12/2008 14:39

Its a lovely name.
But I think depending where you live, people might think its Helen and are dropping the H.
We are in Lancashire. My niece is called Anna. We are forever being asked 'is it Anna or HHHHHHHannah?'
My mothers much older sister was Ellen and they called her Nellie, not sure if you'd go for that nickname though!

devonsmummy · 17/12/2008 14:29

Not keen.

i remember an Ellen from school - forever getting called Helen, drove her mad!

islandofsodor · 17/12/2008 14:27

I have heard of Ellen De Generes but wouldn;t know what sdhe looked like.

Dd is named after my grandmother.

We also know an Elin (lovely name and they are Welsh too)

Cies · 17/12/2008 14:25

Hmmm, I'm not sure. The overriding image I get is of Ellen Degeneres (sp) in dungarees.

I personally prefer Eleanor /Elena /Helen /Helena.

bronze · 17/12/2008 14:23

I like it. We had Elin (welsh) lined up for this one but it turns out its a (will be nameless) boy.

OrmIrian · 17/12/2008 14:21

I don't know about the confusion. My DD is Eleanor and rarely gets called anything but her full name at school. At home she's Ellie usually. I think Ellen will remain Ellen.

schneebly · 17/12/2008 14:12

Love it

islandofsodor · 17/12/2008 14:11

I love Ellen too!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, we always meant to call dd Ellie for short but it never happened. You do get a few people who say or write Helen but not that many. There has never been any confusion with Ellie or Ella thought occasionally with Eleanor (dd has an Eleanor in her class at school)

hohohoIdolikeTurkey · 17/12/2008 14:05

My daughter is Ellen too. Much classier than Ella, and a stronger name imho. She also gets called Helen occasionally but never been confused with Ella / Ellie.

OrmIrian · 17/12/2008 14:04

Very nice.

MrsMattie · 17/12/2008 14:03

Ellen is a nice name.

NattyTurkeyAndEggnog · 17/12/2008 12:34

my daughter is called ellen!!!
yes ppl do think she is called helen, VERY annoying, but u get used to it

PenelopePitstops · 17/12/2008 12:34

love it

I have a similar name that's been mentioned on the thread and always get called ellen, its lovely

Plus it will stand the test of time

Jenbottleofeggnog · 17/12/2008 12:33

I like it!

Anna8888 · 17/12/2008 12:19

Ellen is very pretty - I like it much more than Helen (which is terribly dull name), Ella or Ellie (which are pretty but too popular).

Lemontart · 17/12/2008 12:18

Agree that Ella and Ellie are so common (although pretty names) that perhaps Helen might be a slightly more interesting option. Still like Ellen though as well..

ChestnutsRoastingonanOpenFlier · 17/12/2008 12:17

I love Ellen.

MrsBadger · 17/12/2008 12:16

I like Helen better

I think Ellen will be lost in the heaving morass of Ellies and Ellas

IAteTheWholeSelectionBox · 17/12/2008 12:16

Thumbs up

missytabitha · 17/12/2008 12:15

It lovely - go with it. I don't think people would get confused at all. Can shorten it to Ellie if she likes but equally the full version is great.

thederkinsdame · 17/12/2008 11:45

I think it's lovely.