So how would you pronounce Helena?

[DangerMousey]

Following my previous post about liking the name Nell and wondering what it was short for, one of the options that came up was Helena (which I much prefer to Helen for some reason).

Only thing is not sure how much variation there is in its pronunciation? Would you tend to say it:

HEH-lenna (quite quickly with the accent on the Heh)

Or:

He-LAY-na

??

Or something else? I think I prefer the latter but am aware I may not get to choose how propel would pronounce it!

Heh-Lena. I'm from the north west and everyone I know would say it that way

I've heard He-leena, too, which I like. I like Heh-lenna least - like Eleanor but less pretty, to my ears.

What about Elena if you like He-LAY-na?

Hell - A - na

Lovely name however you pronounce it.

Hell - A - na

Lovely name however you pronounce it.

Hell lay na

Hel-en-a

... but no matter the name, if you have a pronunciation you prefer and one you really dislike, then don't use the name, it will just annoy you constantly.

I love Megan pronounced Meg-An, but not Mee-gan, so I'd (sadly) never use it.

My beautiful niece's name. Hel-a-na.

My grandmother's middle name was Elena pronounced El-ay-na. Could that be an option for you?

HUH-lay-nuh. Was a childhood friend (German-Polish mother).
DD had a classmate called hel-AY-nuh, I got used to that too.... eventually.

Hel-en-a

In Ireland it's Huh-lee-nah

Hellen - a

Chipping I have never heard Megan pronounced Meegan! Except maybe in the US...?

I've heard Canadian Megans pronounced mee-gan.

Sounds odd to my ears.

Chipping I have an Aussie friend who's dd is Meaghan and she said it's pronounced Meeegan if spelled like that. I think if you spelled it Megan it can't be anything other than Meg-ann.

Yes, Squoosh! And I always liked Helen-a but knew if I called dd that, she would have been called He-LEE-nah.

Headfairy - it can :) I haven't heard it much in the UK (either way) but I used to live in NZ and it's nearly always Meegan there, Meg-an is rare. I think I'd have to spell it Meg-An for everyone to say it correctly, then they'd be forever spelling it differently!! Safest to stay away from it for a child and save it for a dog I think

I'd imagine that could get more than little boring chipmonkey

Your daughter would be called 'that fancy Helena'

Hel-Ay-Na

As in Helena Macarena which is what I call a friend of mine.

And I avoided the Meegan / Meg-an thing and just went with Meg. Still got asked once how to spell it

Hel-en-a

As it happens, squoosh, poor dd died at 7 weeks but even in her short life, the name we did give her got misprounounced and mis-spelt left right and centre. She was Sylvie-Rose and we got
Syllvie-Rose ( this was dh, her own father!)
Sylvia Rose
Silvia Rose
Sylvie-Marie ( her 3rd name was Marie)
and many more. Still, I'd prefer to have her back and still have to correct everyone that not have her at all.

Oh I'm so, so sorry chipmonkey, that's just awful. I can't imagine what your loss must feel like.

The name you did give your daughter is absolutely beautiful. Sylvie is one of my very favourite names, so pretty and elegant.

I know someone who is a hel eee na

Helen-a, but I think with that one, you can go with whichever pronunciation you prefer.

HEL-uh-nuh

Beautiful name.