Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

will people know how to pronounce Elena?

64 replies

MrsCharlieD · 05/01/2014 21:32

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

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
MrsCharlieD · 06/01/2014 06:21

Thanks elquinto x

OP posts:
MissPlumBroughtALadder · 06/01/2014 06:31

I knew an Ellen-ah Elena so that's how I think of it now. Beautiful name.

sleepywombat · 06/01/2014 06:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ClaudiusMaximus · 06/01/2014 06:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DollarDollarBills · 06/01/2014 13:28

I would pronounce it E - lay - na

OBehaveMaeve · 06/01/2014 13:54

Eh-LEN-ah.

ElAYna is wrong as it's taking a foreign name and pronouncing it as though it were English? But obviously how you pronounce your own child's name is your decision.

Frikadellen · 06/01/2014 17:23

I would say E-len-ah As the 2 with the name i have known pronounced it that way.. but Once told how i would say it as you wanted it.

CarryOnDancing · 06/01/2014 18:15

I'd pn it the same as you. I also like Alena, pn the same apart from the A obviously!

BuffyxSummers · 06/01/2014 19:52

I'd pronounce it Eh-lay-na if I saw it written down. I've heard it as Eh-lyeh-na too. You'll just have to correct people like us who say it the way you don't like Grin

Alisvolatpropiis · 06/01/2014 23:02

I'd say El-ee-na. This was how a Greek girl I knew said it and I've never met another.

Think CZJ was an Eh-lay-na in the Zorro films though

YoungBritishPissArtist · 06/01/2014 23:06

I would say it el-LAY-nah but I do know someone who pronounces it like Eleanor.

SomethingOnce · 07/01/2014 09:44

The last one I knew was an e-LEN-a, so I'd probably default to that unless I knew otherwise.

Jeezimacasalinga · 07/01/2014 13:10

In Italian it's E-len-a. In Spanish it's E-lay-na. In Greek its E-lee-na. We are Italian so our DD1 is E-len-a. As we live in London, her name is often pronounced wrongly at first, because of all these different (and all correct!) versions of pronunciation. She often gets Eleanor, too. However, people are very quick to get it right, it's not a big problem!

SoupDragon · 07/01/2014 13:12

I would pronounce it E-lay-na unless told otherwise.

Gunznroses · 07/01/2014 13:16

One of my close friends is called (Elena) 'E-lay-na', she is Spanish, everyone pronounces her name like this and so does she, its a lovely name Smile

Oriunda · 07/01/2014 20:31

Are you Italian (bimba = little girl)? In Italy the Elenas I know pronounce it Ell-Len-ah.

Artandco · 11/01/2014 22:50

Elena- el len a
Alina - el leen a
Elaina - e lay na

JapaneseMargaret · 12/01/2014 07:34

We have a 3.5YO Helena (lay) and yes, you have to make your peace with the fact that people will mispronounce it as often as not. :)

Just be sure that won't bother you. It doesn't bother us - just hope it won't bother DD!

magichamster · 12/01/2014 07:39

I'm a supply teacher and when I see this name on the register I usually say El-lay-na, because that's how I would say it. I am usually corrected to el-len-a, so that's the usual pronunciation round these parts.

gruffalosfriend · 12/01/2014 08:03

ELLEN-a for me.

Rosieliveson · 12/01/2014 09:23

Finding out today aren't you?

Hope it goes well

miffybun73 · 12/01/2014 11:00

I would assume E-Lay-na, but I know a three year old Elena who is El-e-na (similar to Eleanor).

DyeKen · 29/11/2021 04:00

So would I.
But there are obviously multiple ways to pronounce the name. It's up to the person whose name it is.

SequinsandStiIettos · 29/11/2021 04:11

eh-LAY- na here but that's because of the Spanish origin
Eleanor is el-len-a
Alina is a-leen-a
ee-len-ar - absolutely no idea Grin

NowEvenBetter · 29/11/2021 12:03

Ellen-ah
How is ‘len’ pronounced ‘lay’?