Helena or Claudia?

[Flowerface]

Pleeeease don't say "I hate them both, call her Madison"!!!

Claudia, fabulous name

Helena - love it!

Hmm, it seems to be hanging in the balance so far!

Lovely. I think I just prefer Claudia. Also Claudine. But not Maddison!

Both lovely - timeless and elegant. Personally prefer Claudia but you can't go wrong with either imo.

Which works the best with your sn or mn if you are having one?

They both go fine with the SN. I suppose NNs would be Claudie or Nell. DD is called Elsa, if that makes any difference?

I know a very lovely little girl called Claudia Helen!

I prefer Claudia with Elsa though. Do you have a MN already?

I much prefer Helena as a name.

I do think Claudia goes a little better with Elsa though, otherwise you have a lot of "EL" sounds.

What about Serena? (my current favourite girl's name)

Claudia x 1 million votes :)

The meaning of Claudia (lame, disabled from the Latin Claudus) would unfortunately put me off, sorry.

I do like Helena, pronlunced Hell-enna (not Hel-Ayna).

Definitely Claudia. I don't like Helena at all.

Helena is beautiful. Don't like Claudia.

Am beginning to think MNetters only tell you what you want to hear tbh. I started a thread a while ago asking about Helena and everyone adored it. Where are they now?

The meaning of Claudia would put me off (says she who is considering Cecilia - blind).

Claudia Claudia Claudia Claudia Claudia Claudia Claudia....

think i've casted my voted!!

I agree about the meaning of Claudia - having studied Latin I just see lame/disabled when I hear/see the name. Shame as it is a nice name otherwise.

Helena is lovely thought.

I really like them both. Hmm, I think Helena would be my choice though. The meaning of Claudia would put me off a little.

Both lovely. I prefer Hellena.
What is the meaning of Claudia? Isn't it a German name?

Claudia is a latin name derived from the latin word claudus/clauda:

claudus m. (feminine clauda, neuter claudum):
1.limping, lame
2.crippled
3.halting, wavering, uncertain

It has been fairly popular in Germany in the 70s and is pronounced Clowd-ia, rather than Claw-dia as it seems to be pronounced in the UK.

Oh i see. Thank you tammy

I have thought about the meaning of Claudia but it doesn't much bother me, because I have only done very minimal Latin. In fact, it may be a point in its favour: MIL was a Classics teacher, and it would be a good way of irritating her!

I would like the MN to be Josephine, which is my Mum's name.

Def. Helen-a rather than Hel-ay-na, though.

Do quite like Serena. It makes me think of tennis players, which isn't necessarily a bad thing I suppose! But maybe Elsa and Serena is too much 's'.

I think Claudia works better with Elsa as Helena and Elsa sound too alike to my ear (too much 'El'). And if Elsa ever gets shortened to El then you will have a Nell and and El......rhyming siblings isn't a good idea lol.

How about Clara Josephine? I think Elsa and Clara are lovely together.

I have one of each! Claudia's nickname (from her little sis) is Dah, and Helena gets called Nellie. In my very unbiased opinion, I think they are both great names.

Love Claudia. I think that people may not know how to pronounce Helena (Helen-a or Helayna) and that would annoy me greatly.

Claudia is lovely, my best friend is called Helena and i also like that so either or use one for the middle name?

I prefer Helena as I have a DD called Helen.