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Baby names

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

Original poster

India or Helena

65 replies

pumpkin2021 · 06/12/2019 14:00

I am expecting a baby girl :)

What do you think about names India and Helena?

Which one would you prefer?

Lots of love xox

OP posts:
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Clettercletterthatsbetter · 06/12/2019 17:50

Helena. Classic and beautiful name.

LucyFox · 06/12/2019 18:01

Helena
Never really liked the trend of calling people after places ...

NoSauce · 06/12/2019 18:16

India.

Helena is a bit old fashioned. Eleanor is better. But I would choose India as I love it.

Astronica · 06/12/2019 22:59

Helena

Sherrybabyy · 06/12/2019 23:00

Helena

Queenoftheashes · 06/12/2019 23:05

Helena

Grufallosfriends · 07/12/2019 11:58

India 🇮🇳? Are you from there?!

I much prefer Helena.

JumpiestBat · 07/12/2019 12:01

My cousin is Helena which is lovely but you'll get some people pronouncing it Helayna and others Helina, not sure if that would bother you. It used to bother her (when she was about 6 so prob got over it now) Grin

Batmanandrobin123 · 07/12/2019 12:19

I think I prefer India although I prefer Indie.
They have a very different feel.
I would put Helena with names like Eleanor and Louisa, very classic. Helena will get pronounced in three different ways which could be annoying.
India has a more modern slightly boho feel to it.

JumpiestBat · 07/12/2019 12:48

Actually yes there's the "Helerna" pronunciation too isn't there!

Mrsjayy · 07/12/2019 13:12

My friends aunt is "Helerna" I thought it was more an accent thing

Grufallosfriends · 07/12/2019 13:43

Helerna Confused?

MustBeDueSomeBetterFeet · 07/12/2019 13:51

I love India from Gone with the Wind, but Helena is beautiful.

Original poster
pumpkin2021 · 07/12/2019 14:45

Thank you for the kind words ladies.

How about India Helena ? xx

OP posts:
aharddaysnight · 07/12/2019 15:03

I think India Helen sounds really nice, with Helen as a middle name. I personally would prefer Helen as then they don't both end in -a

Grufallosfriends · 07/12/2019 15:44

Agree - India Helen sounds much nicer!

bridgetreilly · 07/12/2019 15:55

Helena.

India is cultural appropriation of the worst kind. Here's your amazing, vast beautiful nation, and we're going to take its name to use for a white baby girl? Yeah, no.

Difficultcustomer · 07/12/2019 16:08

I like Helena.

What links do you have to India?

I find it odd to name a child after a country, but there are plenty of girls called India, maybe if is seen as exotic. Wikipedia tells me India was kicked off by a character in gone with the wind, then because popular in Britain for people with links to Colonial India. My family is Indian origin. My first language is English and I only know a bit of Hindi, none of the other Indian languages so India is the name of the country to me. In Hindi though it is Bharat.

Leopardprintboots · 07/12/2019 16:11

India Helena is lovely @pumpkin2021 and definitely my preferred order of those two names

India as a name is fairly mainstream now so all those people saying you need a connection to India are a little behind the times in my personal opinion

Freyanna · 07/12/2019 16:12

Helena

Leopardprintboots · 07/12/2019 16:12

Ps. I don’t think it matters that both end in “a” middle names rarely get used all that much but she will have it as an optional alternative first name if she prefers it as she grows up.

bxua · 07/12/2019 16:47

Not a fan of India, but I do love the name Indie @pumpkin2021

Original poster
pumpkin2021 · 07/12/2019 17:34

I have no ties/connection to India. In the same way I have no connection to Greece by considering Helena as a name for my baby girl

OP posts:
TatianaLarina · 07/12/2019 18:37

Helena is a mythical character though not a country.

I think India is meh and bandwagony but it’s not my kid.

NoSauce · 07/12/2019 18:58

India is not bandwagony or meh. I know a 40 year old India. I wouldn’t say her parents jumped on the bandwagon when they chose her name.