Help end medical misogyny. Sign our petition.

Help end medical misogyny.
Sign our petition.

Sign the petition

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

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

Elan

30 replies

Blythwind · 20/03/2018 15:04

Pronounced Eee-lan

Would you think boy or girl?

Would you pronounce it Ellen if you saw it written down?

Thanks!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Slinkier · 20/03/2018 15:08

I would deffo pronounce it Eee-lan as in the Elan Valley. I would assume a boy's name.

LadyBlackBird · 20/03/2018 15:13

I'd assume like Ethan but with an "l" instead of "th" and boy.

Remote1candles · 20/03/2018 15:14

I would pronounce it Eh-lan, like the French word. I wouldn't know whether it was a male or female name, possibly guess a male name from somewhere in Europe.

panetonnebraxton · 20/03/2018 15:16

I would pronounce it like Ellen, assuming it was a unique spelling of the name.

I also think it looks a bit like a typo of Alan.

DogWoman123 · 20/03/2018 15:16

I would think ee-lan. It's computer software.

PaddyF0dder · 20/03/2018 15:18

Not Elon? Potentially quite a trendy boys name...

StrikingMatches · 20/03/2018 15:18

It is the name of a house builder, depending on where you live this may matter to you.

Luckingfovely · 20/03/2018 15:18

I'd say El-Ann. Have known it only said that way for a girl. It's not a very attractive name for either though imo.

Although I do quite like the original meaning of the word as in style, flair.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 20/03/2018 15:19

I have know two Elan’s short for Elizabeth Ann. They’d be about 45 now. I was told this was a fairly common name in the north west but have no idea if this is true or not.

bridgetreilly · 20/03/2018 15:19

I would pronounce it Eh-LAN, like the French word. And I would think it quite an odd name.

ChocolateCrunch · 20/03/2018 15:52

I'd say it like Ellen. Not sure if I'd think girl or boy.

theeyeofthestormchaser · 20/03/2018 15:57

I'd say eLAN, like the French (meaning panache). I'd also think it was an odd choice.

Lotus Elan - a car.

claptomania · 20/03/2018 15:59

I also immediately think Lotus Elan. And would think “someone’s named their child after a car”

Tartyflette · 20/03/2018 16:01

the French word élan (meaning a thing or doing something with a certain spirit/style/confidence) is pronounced ay-lon.
If you want a boy's name I would go with Elon (like the entrepreneur Elon Musk of Tesla fame). I think that's pronounced Ee-lon.
Elan doesn't sound like a girl's name to me. in fact it doesn't sound like a name for a person at all.

Eolian · 20/03/2018 16:06

I'd assume it was E-lan with the emphasis on the the 'lan' bit and would immediately think they were named after the Lotus Elan. Not sure whether I'd think it was for a boy or girl.

Zaya71 · 20/03/2018 16:23

I'd pronounce it ell-ann. But assume a boy, as it looks like Alan written down.

pipilangstrumpf · 20/03/2018 16:25

I'd pronounce it Eh-lan like the actual German word Elan (vigour).

Luckyme2 · 20/03/2018 16:26

I've only ever come across it as a Welsh girls name. Pronounced El-an

pipilangstrumpf · 20/03/2018 16:27

the French word élan pronounced ay-lon.

No, é is not pronounced ay. And the n is silent.

SlowlyShrinking · 20/03/2018 16:35

There’s a corner shop near us called Elan Mini Market. It’s pronounced locally as Ee-lan, with the emphasis on the first syllable. I’m aware that this is probably not the correct pronunciation

Tartyflette · 20/03/2018 16:44
OK, so it's possibly very slightly more like eh than ay. It's quite difficult to write how it should be pronounced. And I wouldn't say the 'n' is completely silent, there's definitely something there in the back of the throat -- it's not just -lo.
Yvest · 20/03/2018 19:47

It’s an Israeli boys name. Ih-Lan or Il-an

DuckBilledAardvark · 20/03/2018 19:56

Lotus Elan, although in fairness the Lotus Elise was named after a little girl!

oursofas · 20/03/2018 20:00

I'd pronounce it Ell Ann and think it is a girl's name.

mejon · 20/03/2018 20:03

El-an - like the Elan Valley but pronounced the Welsh way (not Eee-lun). We live nearby and it's DD2's middle name.

Swipe left for the next trending thread