will people know how to pronounce Elena?

[MrsCharlieD]

Hi ladies Im just after some feedback really. We've decided if bimba turns out to be a girl that we will name her Elena. We've shared this with close family and have had people mispronouncing it which had never crossed my mind would happen. so far I've heard e-len-a, a-leen-a and ee-len-ar. Is this a difficult name to know how to pronounce? We have always pronounced it e-lay-na x

I would say e-lay-na. Who is Bimba tho?

I have a friend with the same name and everyone pronounces it elle-en-a (emphasis on the 'elle' bit)

I'd say eh-lay-na. It's lovely.

I'd say E-len-a unless told otherwise.

I would pronounce it e-LAY-na unless I knew otherwise, but I did one know an e-LEN-a who was irritated by having her name pronounced 'wrongly'. I think it is a tricky name to be sure how to pronounce, but I wouldn't let that put you off. Once people know they won't get it wrong again. And it is a pretty name.

Bimba is probably a predictive keyboard error.

I think there are several ways to say "Elena" and I'd try to avoid saying it until I'd heard it said by someone who knows. At least this is one where it's pretty obvious there are a few possibilities.

Mrsbennett bimba is our nickname for bump x

I would say El-en-a

Ellen-a

I say E-lay-na, thanks to The Vampire Diaries! Lovely name

One I know is called Elle-lane-ah with emphasis on the "lane" part, but I'd say it has a lot of potential for people to be unsure or pronounce it wrongly, yes.

I think of Elena as being the greek form/pronunciation El-ee-nah, are you prahs thinking of pronunciation more like Eleanor (more classic) or Elainer ( basically elaine with er on the end?) Disclaimer - i am no language whizz and have only named boys so far although if dc3 turns out to be a girl i may well be flummoxed. Good luck!

*perhaps not prhas

Sammie that's where it's from but i read the books a long time before they ever made it a tv series. When i was reading the books i pronounced it e-lay-na in my head. It's meaning is bright one as well which i love x

Eh-LAY-nah

Hi pussycat according to what I've read the origin is Spanish but who knows? We would definitely want it pronounced eh-lay-na x

I know an El-en-a

I have an Elena and we pronounce it your way (E LAY na). There is another at her nursery too and she pronounces it the same way.

It is sometimes pronounced wrongly by people who aren't sure but it's no big problem for us. It is one of those names that can be pronounced either way as it is used in quite a few different countries across the world. I wouldn't be put off. I'm very glad we chose it and DD loves her name.

I know an e-LEN- a. With the emphasis on the middle syllable.

Also randomly at a pre-school group one of the mothers was named Elena and she pronounced it the same way as us. She was Spanish I think.

i am an El-en-a. I like my name and I liked having an unusual name, but spent years correcting peoples spelling/pronounciation and I did get annoyed at times. I have had people insist I am pronouncing it wrong (a teacher at school many years ago spent the whole 5 years I was at the school telling me that my name was E-lay-na, that was the only correct way to say it and that was much nicer than El-en-a anyway!) In the end I gave up correcting people and got used to being called many different variations. I have been known by a nickmane for years now which I don't like as much and is a very common name but it is simple to both spell and pronounce. On the rare occasions where my full name is used (hospital appointments etc) it is rare that it is pronounced my way and even if I correct people, generally most people seem to continue to say it the way they think is correct regardless.

I still like the name though and the way you pronounce it is more common I think, so might not be such an issue.

I know a baby Elena pronounced elEHna nn ellie. I first said elAYna but changed as soon as I was corrected. Probably won't matter as no one who knows you or dd well enough to need I pronounce it will need telling more than once.

We had picked Elena for dd3 quite early on in the pregnancy. But I just couldn't settle with the different pronunciations. I heard it said more like Elinor at one point & that just sunk it for me. Elinor is a lovely name but it wasn't the name I wanted. We went for something else.

I will always have a soft spot for Elena

Thank you for all the responses. Very much appreciated. We are sticking with Elena and will find out on Sunday if we need to use it x

E-láy-na for me, but I have a Spanish DSil called Helena and that is how it's pronounced.

Congratulations and best wishes for Sunday