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?!?!?

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.

I don't think that's what the OP's after. I think she wants Eh-LENN-ah, not Eh-LAIN-ah. Sadly, I don't think that's going to work.

FWIW the people saying Eleanor if pronounced the way OP like Elena, that's not true (certainly not where I am!)
Childhood best friend was Eleanor and it is also mums middle name. And is strongly pronounced with the OR at the end and not A.
So Ele-an-OR. Not El-ean-a.

Is there a way to spell your favourite name so that people get it right?

Elenna maybe?

My DD's best friend's name is ELENA.

She pronounces it El-AY-na because that is a legitimate pronunciation of that name. Indeed, if you are from a Spanish-speaking country, El-EN-a is the only correct pronunciation of that name.

EL-en-a is just a different, equally legitimate (for English speakers) pronunciation of the same name, not the "right"'pronunciation.

I am pregnant and some of the names I like have a commonly-used diminutive version that I don't like. If you want to ensure that your child's name will only ever be pronounced or used a certain way, the only way to ensure that is to choose one that CAN only be pronounced a certain way, and/or cannot be shortened.

However, kids often end up with funny nicknames anyway!

You could spell it Elenna

That would make it pretty obvious that it should be pronounced El-ENNA.

But Elena is generally El-en-ah with equal emphasis on all three syllables.

Yes Elenna would work. No room for misinterpretation there I wouldn’t think.

Or Alanna is quite similar.

I think trying get people to pronounce it the way you like in the U.K. will be a massive faff.

She will mainly be Elayna or El en uh.

Elenna could be interpreted as a variant spelling of Eleanor so I don’t think that will work either.

Certainly sparking some debate here. Isn't language funny.

@ReginaPhalange89 that's interesting that in Scotland it's pronounced "my" way. And @Cbeebiesrehab I am actually half Italian myself so maybe I could get away with "my" pronunciation that way! Lol! I do not speak Italian though so maybe that's pushing it.

I love this name so much. It's just so annoying most English speakers pronounce it with letters that are not even in its spelling. I think that's what annoys me....the alternative pronunciations are names in their own rights...with their own spellings; why then take over this name too!

Isnt it like Sara? Some say Sarah and some say Sara. Just tell people how to pronounce it and then that's her name.
But just maybe don't tell everyone who says it wrong that it's not spelt like that all indignantly. You'll probably get a lot of passive aggressive Elayna's then

@NoNoNoOohmaybe quite! I really wouldn't want to offend anyone!

Mmmm it stays on the maybe list, at the top, with reservation :)

@bridgetreilly Ah ok, fair enough!

I have not heard it with the emphasis on the middle syllable and a short "eh" sound. The long Italian e sound in the middle of the Italian way tends to be turned into a diphthong (E-LAIN-a) rather than a short English eh (Ell-ENN-a) by English speakers, in my experience, but no reason you couldn't say it the second way.

I think it's still true that people will just copy what you say, either way. So say it as you like!

In the welsh speaking parts of Wales Elena is pronounced El-ENN-a, usually said as Lenna. I would say Elena as Elaina but Helena as HELL-in-a.

I'd say "Eh-lay-na" (The first time, until told that it was "Eh-Len-na". Then I'd try my best to remember).

But this difference in pronunciation is why I'm not having a "Sophia" (rhymes with Fire, after my Great-aunt Aunty Phia who was a cracking old bird) because DH just couldn't get it into his head that it wasn't So-Fear.

Might also be worth bearing in mind that there is a popular Disney princess/cartoon thing called Elena of Avalor, she’s spanish I think? But it’s definitelt pronounced Eee-lay-nah

m.youtube.com/watch?v=-RRANDyP5QE

I would pronounce is e-LAY-nuh. Similar to Alaina.
Which is strange considering I don't pronounce Lena like those.

I would say Ellen-ah, but aware there are numerous pronunciations and direct to be corrected! None of the pronunciations are difficult once you know.

What about Olenna? I think that sounds similar to the pronunciation you want.

I think if you really love the name just use it, everyone who knows you will pronounce it the way you want them too, yes she will have to correct people but there are lots of names like that , it's a cute name I don't think she'll hate you for having to cotreft people occasionally

helen
Ellen
Lena

Will save you the worries!

But are you pronouncing the middle bit as Lay or Len? I'm confused.
I know a Helena and it's pronounced Helen-ah. If I saw Elena written down I'd say it as El-len-ah. If you want to stress the ay sounds in the middle, why not spell it Elaina and remove all confusion?

I think in the UK, most would naturally pronounce it El-len-ah. I think it's more likely people would pronounce it El-lay-nah in Spanish-speaking countries.

How about spelling it Elenna? Wouldn't that encourage your preferred pronounciation?

English is full of words and names pronounced "with letters that aren't part of their spelling"! No-one is taking over the name, it just doesn't have a single pronunciation in English. If you love it, accept that and use it! People will echo your pronunciation and your daughter will correct then once she's old enough. Honestly, people mispronounce names that do only have a single pronunciation all the time... things you think nobody could even get wrong!