How would you pronounce Helena?

[Zippetydoodahzippetyay]

I love the name Helena but not sure if people would pronounce it the way I prefer it.

Would you pronounce it:

1. Heh-lay-na
2. Helen-a
3. Hel-ee-na?

Elena is pronounced Elen-a.

I knew an Elena she pronounced it Eh-Lay-N

I would pronounce Helena as Heh-Lay-Na

Except I pronounce Helena Bonham Carter as Helen-A

*Eh-Lay-Na

I work with a lady called this. It's 3

1

1

2, but 1 is much nicer

3

1 or 2. I’d just ask them how they pronounced it. Generally I’d assume if they were British that with would be Helen-a but if from the continent, more likely to be He-lay-na.

1. Helen-a

1. Hel- ayna

Hellen a (short)

but if from the continent, more likely to be He-lay-na.

In Germany Helena and Elena are pronounced
Helen-a and Elen-a.

There's is no ay sound whatsoever.

Helen-a

Hell-a-nah.

I have got no idea on the Helena, could be 1 or 2. But Elena is definitely Elen-a if you want to pronounce it the correct way.

I have known 2 Elenas, one now in her twenties, one would be in her 80s now. No connection between them. Both pronounced el-ay-na. I think it is the most common pronunciation here in the UK (not sure which country it comes from).

As for Helena, it would most commonly be Helen-a here, (as in Bonham Carter) but I am well aware of the other pronunciations. I think Hel-eena is the most usual way in Ireland, for example.

My point is you can't just say that 'Elena is definitely Elen-a' there are different pronunciations from different countries. That is obvious surely.

Not a British name so I suppose there's no 'British pronunciation' as such, but I still believe the most well-known version over here is 'El-ay-na'.

Elena would be EH-le-nuh or e-LE-nuh to me...
Or e-LAY-na. (I know someone who pronounces her name like that...)

Definitely 1 for me

In Ireland helena is he-leena.