How would you pronounce Elaina?

[KaosReigns]

Just that really, I'm starting to worry I have a speech impediment because 90% of people pronounce it differently. Her grandmother called here Alana for the first 6 months.

As 'Elayna'

Ileana is pronounced the same as Elena. My sister-in-law changed the spelling because she didn't want people to think it was Eleanor. I suppose I'm just used to it!

You decide how you want it to be pronounced and stick to it. Its an unusual name so I guess people are not sure, Use her name a lot around people that are getting it wrong they will soon catch on

I would pronounce Ileana as it's written, il-e-ana.

Re: pronunciation of Ileana, interesting and point taken. I suppose that it was introduced to me when I was 19 (I'm now 48) so I've never questioned it, if that makes sense. Elaina does look more "sensible", objectively.

Ileana is very unusual, no wonder people weren't sure how to pronounce. Do you know where it originates from, or did your SIL make it up?

I would probably have said 'ill-een-a', as I don't think that 'ea' normally makes an 'ay' sound?

Ell-AY-nah

El-at-na

Ay* not at

Yup. E-lay-na. My DD is Elena (with the same pronunciation) and has received birthday gifts to 'Elaina'. Sadly for her there is an Alenna in the year above her and Eliana in the year below - so she does get a fair bit of mispronunciation.

I think I would say "ill-AY-na" as I hear the sound I say at the beginning of a lot of unstressed "el-" names (Elaine, Elizabeth, Elias, etc) as more like "ill" than "ell".

Pemba - I really have no idea. I was at university and was informed that this was my niece's name, that I was godmother and that this was the pronunciation. I wouldn't have questioned it but can now see that it looks a bit odd considering how they've always pronounced it.

Elena I would pronounce Elen-a.

el-ai-ee-na

@KaosReigns I hope you don't mind me dragging up this old thread! But I am in exactly the same position with my 7 month old Elaina - DH grandmother constantly calls her Alana (we had Almira once too..!)
How is your little Elaina getting on with her name now? Do you still get any spelling/pronunciation problems?

Eee-lane-ah.

Ee-lane-a

Eh-LAY-nuh, like Elaine but with an a on the end

But Eleanor - ELL-ah-nuh - is so popular it overrides the obvious, I think, and Elaina is not a standard Uk version of the name.

Elaina is El ay na

It's really obvious imo

ill-Lane-a

I would pronounce it just like Elaine with an A on the end.

I would guess the mispronunciations come from people being unfamiliar with Elaina and more familiar with other names like Eleanor and Alana. I sometimes get people calling me by the wrong name because they misheard my name as another, somewhat more common name (let's say my name is Clara and people hear "Cara" instead). Hearing problems could also be a factor.