Helena

[sunshinedaisies]

But pronounced Hel-ee-na (the Irish way) as it is a family name. We are in England, where I'm guessing most people would assume Helen-a. What are your thoughts and will she be constantly correcting people?

I know one, pronounced hel-ay-na, with the emphasis on the 'ay' sound. However, before meeting her I would probably have said helen-a if I'd seen it written down. Its a lovely name, although yes I suspect you/she may well have to correct people on pronunciation a lot. Its an easy one to get to grips with once you've heard it once though!

I would pronounce it as Helen-a, & I would think it was a beautiful name.

I love the name Helena, but pronounced the English way. Yes, I expect that if she is going to be brought up in the Uk, then she will be constantly correcting people. Obvious, no?

It's a lovely name but yes I think she will be correcting people, my instinct is to say Helen-a

I went to college with a hel-ee-na, I think it's lovely, but she was always having to correct people re the pronounciation.

People will get Hel-AY-na once they've been told. I know plenty of them.

I worked with an Irish He-lee-Na.

I called her Helen-a when I first met her I never did it again..... she had to correct EVERYONE the first time.

I would assume her name was Helen-a or, failing that, Hel-ay-na if I saw it written down. I'm not sure I'd think to pronounce it Hel-ee-na and it's my least favourite of the 3 pronunciations. I think you're always going to get people mispronouncing it but it's a very pretty name however it's said so maybe it's not all bad.

I'm Irish so I always pronounce it as Huh-lee-na, know lots and lots of them, but I think this pronunciation is confined to Ireland.

It is one of those names that has at least three legitimate pronunciations.

Love it. I know one who pronounces it Hell-ay-na.

It's a beautiful name, but sounds nicer as Helen-a.

It could be said of many names with alternative pronunciations that children would have to say "actually, I pronounce it this way" so I wouldn't let that worry you so much. You usually find that people only need to be informed once, but also that your DD may choose a different pronunciation as she grows up anyway. :)

It's my mum's name! I didn't know that pronunciation was Irish, I'll have to tell her (my Nan is British, she met my Canadian Gramps in WWII and they moved to Canada, where mum was born.) She does get Helen-a sometimes, and corrects them with Hel-ee-na. As a child, she was called Ena by close family, but I suspect she didn't like it much because my dad only ever calls her by her full name.

People get used to it. It is like people who pronounce Sophia as soPhy ah

Beautiful name

I would think Helen-a. I know a 2 year old UK one that way, and a 3 month old in Canada who is Hel-ay-na, which sounds affected to me. Not heard Hel-ee-na.

I'd pronounce it Hel-ee-na and I think it's beautiful.