Elaina/Helaina

[Barbiequed]

I love these 2 names, pronounced this way. I know many mnetters are anti 'made up' name's but I think in this instance phonetic spelling will save them a lifetime of correcting people who call them the other version?

Its not like Feebee for instance...

Please mumsnet guide me!

And if you think your preplanned goady fuckery isn't showing, you are mistaken.

What response to 'Helaina' did you expect on MN baby names? Oh yes the entirely predictable justified one that would lead up to you illogically yelling 'racist'

It looks it because of your preconceived ideas of what a name should look like

You don't want to get it, strawberry, thats fine.

My simple point is that there are people out there with these names. For what reason do we judge them?

Strawberry maybenin the UK its class, not race?

I don't think it will solve the spelling it out problem, OP. If Helaina says her name on the phone, the listener will write down Helena.

Barbie you can spell your babies name anyway that you and your partner like.

But you came on to Mumsnet and asked for opinions. And that's what you got - opinions. Mumsnet is well known for being rather straight talking.

Not liking alternative spellings, isn't racist on Mumsnet. It just isn't.

It's intellectual snobbery, but it's not racist.

Make no mistake. This is racist behavior. We are emphasizing the otherness of an entire group of people to put ourselves over and above them.

Yes dear of course it is - the 'others' meaning 'people who can't spell'? Some of us like to emphasise our difference from them. By spelling reasonably well. That doesn't make them an ethnic group. They're just bad at spelling.

I've a name that can be spelt two ways, I purposely gave my children names that left people in no doubt how to, spell them. Personally I like Elena and Helena and find your spellings very unusual, plus so,e people may mis pronounce el en a with e lane a IFYSWIM

Dorman, hence why I mentioned class

Yes, I did come on mn but foolishly I didn't expect such unanimous dislike over this spelling. Maybe 30 percent in favour.

I am either misinformed or this says something about the mumsnet demographic.

Barbie what has intellectual snobbery got to do with class?

There are plenty of bright, educated people in all different social strata.

The spelling is terrible and I would be embarrassed to have that name.
At work I have to give out my email address over the phone multiple times per day. Everyone knows how to spell Helena. If it was Helaina I'd have to spell it every time rather than just say [email protected]
Annoying.

Alternative spellings can evoke strong opinions! DD is Laina- Finnish name. Not everyone was keen on it but it's unusual and suits her.

In 2014, according to the ONS figures, 51 girls in England and Wales were called Elaina and just 3 were called Helaina.

I really don't think that pointing out these spellings are unusual, unexpected and likely to cause confusion is "othering" of an entire group of people.

If I saw Helaina I would probably pronounce it Helina. I would use the conventional spellings, they are both lovely names.

Dorman, nothing, but unfortunate I know that others do judge.

But lets be honest. You might think its odd at first but soon it would normalise. I know a Krizz, which made me double take but now its just his name.

Oyster I know a Jane who hates her name. I know you think you might be embarrassed but if you were born with it, and got used to it, that might not be the case.

Im hardly suggesting Bumface

I knew a Helaina at primary school, so it doesn't seem so out there to me, but have to say it's not a name I ever particularly liked.

" I think in this instance phonetic spelling will save them a lifetime of correcting people who call them the other version?"

This made it seem like you are worried about mispronunciation - but surely mistranscription as per my example above is a similar concern?

OneNote, I agreed with this point earlier. Yes, that is something to consider and a very valid point.

"But lets be honest. You might think its odd at first but soon it would normalise. I know a Krizz, which made me double take but now its just his name."

It's normalised for you. Krizz will have to wait for it to normalise for every single person he meets for the rest of his life. That's 80 years of "No, it's Krizz. Yes, it is unusual, isn't it? No, have no idea why they did it."

Pinkangel I like Laina! Coming on mumsnet has been productive after all.

Actually he loves his name

"I am either misinformed or this says something about the mumsnet demographic."

What demographic do you think would like a made up spelling of a well known name?