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Baby names

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

Elena

75 replies

deethra · 16/03/2021 12:37

I’m curious to hear how everyone would pronounce the name Elena?
Would you say E-LEH-nah or E-LAY-nah?

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RedMarauder · 16/03/2021 12:39

The first.

It doesn't matter though as pronunciation depends on people's accents and neither is wrong.

Nell96 · 16/03/2021 12:44

I think lots are used and accepted. I would say el-LEN-ah or EL-en-ah, before el-LAY-nah.

Soubriquet · 16/03/2021 12:45

E-lay-nah

Soubriquet · 16/03/2021 12:46

E-len-ah to me would be like Elenor

jackstini · 16/03/2021 12:48

Eh-lay-na for the one I know

dropthedeadhorse · 16/03/2021 12:49

I work with one. Half the people at work pronounce it one way and half the other way. She’s extremely shy and I asked her which way it was pronounced and she said she didn’t mind but her family call her e-lay-nah.

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 16/03/2021 12:53

I would say E-lay-nah

Eleanor or Elenor would be El-en-ah to me.

Megan2018 · 16/03/2021 12:55

El-len-ah

Tal45 · 16/03/2021 12:55

My first though was E-lay-na.

Enko · 16/03/2021 12:57

El-len-ah

LoudNowSing · 16/03/2021 12:58

It's DD's second name and I pronounce it El-ay-na.

I don't think it really matters either way, though. Just choose the one you prefer.

AnxiousAnnie86 · 16/03/2021 13:05

@deethra we have literally added this to our list this morning!!! And I googled how would people pronounce! I would say el ay na

Violetlavenders · 16/03/2021 14:14

ELL-en-ah

Emphasis on first syllable

Violetlavenders · 16/03/2021 14:15

There's definitely no -lay sound involved imo.

Synchrony · 16/03/2021 14:17

The same as Eleanor (ELL-en-ah) unless told otherwise. I am aware of the E-LAY-nah pronunciation though, which wouldn't surprise me.

Lobsterquadrille2 · 16/03/2021 14:18

The one I knew was El-AY-na. However I have a niece whose name is spelled Ileana, pronounced Il-AY-na, because her mother was afraid that Elena would be Eleanor.

Oodilallygolly · 16/03/2021 14:20

Ellen-uh

Violetlavenders · 16/03/2021 14:24

Elena - Ell en ah
Eléna - Ell é nah
Elayna - Ell ay nah
Eleanor - Ell en or

oohyoudevilyou · 16/03/2021 14:27

El-ay-na But I have three 30-something friends and colleagues from Eastern Europe called Elena and that's how they pronounce their names.
I also know a couple of El-en-ah's and they spell their names Eleanor

eatsleepbreastfeedrepeat · 16/03/2021 14:30

El-é-na is how it’s originally pronounced.

It is not the English name Eleanor, In my opinion if you want to pronounce it Ellen-uh spell it the English way. Elena is Spanish and pronounce El-é-na or E-lay-nah

EileenGC · 16/03/2021 14:33

Your first option. So El-É-na like the PP said. But I’m Spanish and that’s how I know correct pronunciation 😅

Quercus3 · 16/03/2021 14:34

El-lay-nuh

I really like it, I knew one who went by Laney

Toilenstripes · 16/03/2021 14:36

El-ee-na is how I read it but apparently that’s wrong?

Violetlavenders · 16/03/2021 15:11

It's originally Greek.

In many languages including Greek, Russian, German, it is pronounced Ell en ah

In Greek its actually more like Él en ah.

CabernetSoWhat · 16/03/2021 17:03

el-AY-na.

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