Bryony or Helena

[ClareBell08]

DH and I have narrowed down to these two. Also thoughts on the spelling? Bryony/Briony
Middle name was going to be Katherine but both of us are leaning more towards Kate now although I rather like Cate, just looks a bit different!

I prefer Helena (which is what I would name any future DD).

Helena Kate is lovely

I'm a Helena and I do love it, but you'd be surprised at how many people can't pronounce it properly and how often I have to spell it for people. It's really irritating and I actually dislike telling people my name for this reason.

Just something to think about.

For all the Bryonys above- Bryony makes me think of woodland fairies for some reason. I imagine beautiful slender girls with hazel eyes and chesnut hair. It has never made me think of Brian.
I nearly used Helena for one dd, but I am a Helen, so too similar, and I am named for my mother's cousin Helena who died as a teenager (my Mum couldn't bear to use the full name.) She pronounced it Hel- lee-na rather than like Helen with an added A.
The only Helena I know is known as Nina.

Helena is lovely although its many possible pronunciations, hu-lay-na / helen-a / hu-lee-na, might get a bit aggravating. Good nickname potential though.

I don't like Bryony at all.

Oh yes, forgot that nobody can spell Bryony or pronounce it properly either. Oh its just so hideous it actually upsets me some days lol!

Another bryony chipping in. Reasons I like my name: there was never more than one of me in a class.... And that's where it ends.

I really, really hate it. Up until 6 days before I was born I was going to be Eleanor then my mum read an article in a magazine written by a Bryony said It immediately "clicked".. Damn magazine!!

I have just never seen the appeal. My mum bought me the flower fairy books where there was a white bryony and black bryony fairy. Those are the only things that make me NOT just think of Brian

People will always spell it wrong, and going abroad is a nightmare. As part of my degree I spent 6 months in Spain and 6 in Italy and actually started introducing myself as just B because it was such a nightmare. No one could say it at all.

Have you considered Briar? Strangely I actually kind of like briar. As in briar rose like the sleeping beauty. I thin it's much more delicate and less harsh sounding

Anyway there's my input!! I'm actually surprised at how many times I've seen it pop up on here. Not sure if it's getting more popular now. May be in the "nature" name trends like Iris lily violet laurel etc

Definitely Helena.

BryKP you sound exactly like me! My mum vetoed Imogen, Kate and Abigail in favour of Bryony. This makes me very very sad! Its so Brian-like isn't it? I'm also surprised I see it pop up here more often than it should!

Chocchips Kate is my middle name :) it's my saving grace hahha I actually love kate. I begged my mum
To let me have it as my first name for years!! Hahaha.

Chocchips oops pressed enter too soon! But yeah I really do not see the appeal of our name :( i know deep down my dad doesn't love it either lol he's never come out and said it but it's kinda obvious. He's called me B from day one.

My middle name is normal too, I also begged to use it or just change my name completely. My dad is in love with my name, I just absolutely hate it.

I see all these negative comments about it and it makes me feel even worse (though I wholeheartedly agree with them).

Nobody can spell it, people look at me funny and once someone told me 'well that's a stupid name!' The only thing its ever done for me is ensure my daughter has a bog standard ordinary name.

I have nc for this..... obviously

My name is Helena (mn May - my mum calls me Miss May ) and I'm 30. People seem to like it. I never cared one way or the other but would say now I think the best thing about it is it's a strong name, if you want it to be, it's feminine but not girly. In an odd way I don't feel it has shaped my personality at all, because it has no associated perceived qualities, iyswim. And this is a good thing. It is also era-less and fits with a whole load of languages and cultures.

The only real downside is being called Helen, which irks me, but I am the sort of person to immediately correct this

People wondering about nicknames, as a child I was Hellie Wellie, until I knocked that sharply on the head. Some people call me 'H'. No real nicknames at school. Since university a lot of people call me Hels.

OP I don't know if that helps but I've never seen my name on these boards before, it's exciting!

Oh yes Squoosh, correct, I should have said I'm a Helen-a and particularly Scots want to call me Hel-ay-na. I don't mind correcting people's pronunciation, as I feel they're not getting it wrong but using the wrong alternative, iyswim. There are people who persist in calling me the wrong version but I imagine they'd do that to a great many names

There's also an Irish pronunciation Hel-ee-na.

Oh yes I get that a lot too! Irish family. Not them, obviously except the mad cousins but when I'm in Ireland.

OP what pronunciation are you imagining for Helena?

I agree with whoever says briony/bryony makes them think of woodland fairies.

I also once met a Briarlee (not sure of how it was spelt) which i also like for similar reasons (although mumsnet would disapprove of it I'm sure )

Pretty sure the woodland fairies is a flower fairy link..

I like both. How about Rony as a NN for Bryony?

(Outing myself) my sister Briony gets called Bri-nylon or Biriani. Still a very pretty name though