Pronunciation of my favourite name

[MushroomMushroom]

My DH and I are not pregnant get but we will be TTC in the new year.

We have already discussed names and we love one name in particular for a girl and that name is Elena.

BUT.....and for me it’s a big BUT...I only like it pronounced a certain way “e-LEN-a” (with the emphasis on the middle LEN sound).

I really don’t want to offend anyone who likes the alternative pronunciations or upset anyone who has a DD with this name pronounced another way....I just wanted you lovely mumsnetters’ opinions on WHY this name is pronounced so differently by so many as, to me, the other ways of pronouncing this name do not make sense. For example some people pronounce Elena as “Eleanor” or “E-Lay-ner”.

It’s so frustrating as I LOVE this name but only the way I like it pronounced! Lol!

What does everyone think of the way I like it pronounced....does anyone else pronounce it “my” way?!?!?

I pronounce it ELena, with the emphasis slightly on on the EL. I’ve never heard it pronounced the way you like it.

Elayna is my pronunciation - I don't do that er instead of ah thing - which personally I think is a lot nicer than E-len-ah.

It's not unusual though - look at Layla/Leela pronunciations, or Neeve/Nee-uv for Niamh (though that's regional). I think once people know which pronunciation you use they will do their best to always use it.

Eh-layna

I think it sounds lovely like that.

Eleanor and Elena are pronounced very differently where I live (Australia).

I have only known two Elenas - one pronounced it eh-LAY-nah; the other (Russian) pronounced it eh-LEE-nah.

I wouldn't make any assumptions about the pronunciation and would either ask you or would wait for you to say the name first. I do think you'll have a hard time with your desired pronunciation though.

ELena from me too.

I would say e-lay-ner
Of course once corrected I would try and ensure I pronounced it correctly in the future but if this would really annoy you, everyone saying it wrong, you may want to consider other options

Youre pronouncing it wrong. It is pronounced ELena.

You are thinking of Eleanor, which is often probounced ELana

Sorry i typed that worng! Ffs it is late!

Elena is pronounced EL A na
Eleanor is pronounced as you want it pronounced.

You're wrong.

It's either pronounced E-le-na, with the emphasis on the E (which is far nicer than your pronunciation in my opinion)

Or E-LAY-na, emphasis on the Lay.

I've known multiple people with both of these pronunciations.

Never heard of yours.

I've heard it pronounced eh-LAY-nuh several times.

There was also an Aussie Masterchef contestant who pronounced it as uh-LEE-nuh.

I suppose it's usually pronounced with a long middle vowel as there's only one N. If I saw a name spelt, say, Ellenna or Alenna, I'd probably guess it was pronounced the way you like it.

Thanks everyone!
Uuurrrrhhh it's so annoying. I love this name pronounced the way it's spelt! So annoying that this is wrong.

I get what everyone is saying, you are all right of course, just to me, ELena with the emphasis on the first part should be spelt Ellena!!!!!

Might have to let this name go. I'm just so sad to as I do not like anything else half as much and when o first saw it written down and (wrongly) pronounced it E-len-a I thought to myself "that's the one"

Bugger!!

But what is wrong with Eleanor which I think is the pronunciation you like?

I have heard your pronunciation before, I think for a Spanish character on a TV drama. Like Helena, Elena has many different 'correct' pronunciations, from different countries. I think most UK people would at first assume it was 'ell-LAY-na' though.

But Eleanor is not what the OP wants, Tiger as there the emphasis is on the first syllable. EL-en-uh rather than el-LEN-uh. Also Americans (and other people with rhotic accents?) would also use a clear 'orrr' sound at the end of Eleanor, not just an a/uh as most English people would.

I think I pronounce it the same as you actually OP! I definitely emphasise the LEN part.

I say Eh-LEN-ah , not sure if you're saying that or ee-len-ah? I'm Scottish, not sure if that makes a difference. I think Eleanor is pronounced very similar in my accent

I actually know a girl with Italian parents who pronounce her name El-LEN-a. She is Leni for short sometimes.

It’s got so many pronounciations, all of which are correct, dependent on where in the world you want to associate the name with.

Giving up the name because of your perceived correctness versus other people’s incorrectness is a bit OTT, especially if you love it so very much. It’d be a case of correcting. It’s one of those names....get over it?

Never mind op, you might have all boys!

Fwiw, I’d have said Eh-LAY-na.

Different pronunciations are difficult as some dickhead will ALWAYS mispronounce even after you’ve corrected a million times! Irksome.

There's a girls in my son's class called Lena. Lovely girl and lovely name. Easier to achieve the pronunciation you want if you drop the E

But the stress doesn’t fall ‘naturally’ on that syllable for English speakers. Most anglophones will approach it as El-AY-na or possibly Helena without the H, which could of course be HEL-ena or Hel-EE-na.

Elena is a very international name and is pronounced slightly differently in Spain/Italy/Russia/Greece/Ukraine/Romainia/Portugal etc. The British version is Helen, so there isn't a single correct version in English and lots of people will have been influenced by hearing different international pronunciations - personally I'd say EL-e-na as the ones I've met have been Italian and say it that way.

If you love the name just pronounce it your way and correct people. Your daughter will do the same. Lots of names have this issue.

I know an Elena. Pronounced El-LEN-a because that’s how she introduced herself and nobody seems to have a problem saying it like that (Welsh if that makes a difference).

I think it’s a lovely name.

I know two, both pronounced your way (if I'm reading you right). Certainly with the emphasis on the second syllable.

80% of people do it right first time, because they're just copying how the other person introduces themselves. A few people get it wrong but are quickly corrected.

My dad couldn't get his head around this particular name, but one of them said "like Elaine, plus -a" - does that get you the pronunciation you like? Could be a handy one to use.

EL-enn-a is the one I know.
Round here it sounds similar to Eleanor.

I once met an Elaina - which would be the right pronunciation for you.