Lucie or Helena

[wyemummy]

Lucie or Helena?

And if Helena, Helen-a or Hel-ay-na?

Think I prefer Helena, which DH likes but thinks is a bit pretentious. I love Lucie but feel that as a professional woman when DD grows up Helena is a more ‘go anywhere’ name. Particularly like the Shakespearean/classical associations with Helena.

Alternatives are Phoebe or Alys (we’re in Wales so that’s the correct spelling).

FWIW Lucie is a traditional English spelling and DH and I are both historians so prefer the old form of the name I have a very unusual name which I always have to spell and it doesn’t bother me. We also have a short surname which is impossible to spell wrong.

Thanks Mumsnetters! DD is due in February so I have a while to decide.

I love Helena (Helen-a) but DH is Russian so it’d be Yelena here, which I like a lot less. Go for it!

I love Helena (on my list) but definitely Hel-ay-na which I know isn't the general preference.

I have a Helena (Helen-a) love it, suits her and we don’t know another one.

Lucie is great though, really due a renaissance!

Love them both (probably because know one of each who are great)

Helena. Not pretentious at all; it's been in moderate use for a long time, but not saturated either.

Lucy feels feeble anyway, and the Lucie spelling exacerbates that for me. Phoebe is similarly uninspiring. I wouldn't be be too concerned with professionalism with any of the names here. With the exception of Helena they are all top 100 names in Wales (albeit with Lucy spelling) and all those girls will grow up.

I like both.

I think when you get down to 2 names just wait until baby is here. Sometimes they just fit one name more than the other.

Both are great names. Helena is so much nicer than Helen

I wouldn't pick Lucie because she'd get Lucy too often

Hell-ay-na sounds better but if you're in England I think people will say Helen-ah more often so I'd go for Helen-ah

Love Helena pronounce Helen- a

In my family we have a Helen-a (a doctor) and a Hel-ay-na (who's actually a QC/judge but not at all "posh"). Both are lovely women, neither grew up hugely privileged.

Actually the second one is pronounced more like Hel-eena but I think that might be the Irish pronunciation of Hel-ay-na.

Love Helena (Helen-a)

I like Helena although I’ve known two and one is a Helen-a and one a Helene-a so not helpful! I prefer Helen-a.

I do like Lucie but, even though I know you’ve explained it, I’d wonder why not Lucy. It’s not like the unusual spelling makes the name itself any more unusual, because ultimately it’s still Lucy/Lucie. She’d just face a lifetime of people spelling it wrong.

Helena (Helen-a) all the way. It's lovely. Prefer this pronunciation but Hel-ay-na is also nice.

I'm not keen on Lucie or Alys with any spelling and really don't like Phoebe at all.

Lucie for sure. French enough said.

Lucie will spend her life correcting the spelling of her name.

Helena is lovely.

I prefer Helena. It’s probably a less popular name so she’s likely to be the only one in her class - something that’s important to me. You need to think how you would pronounce it and it that fits with your area - I love the name Iona but not the way it’s pronounced around here.

If you call her Lucie she’ll forever be correcting the spelling or emails won’t get through etc, but I love the name Lucy.

As for Alice, it’s a particular favourite however you spell it, but saying you’re in Wales ‘so that’s the correct spelling’ is ridiculous.

Neither...but Lucy is fine

I knew a girl called Helena, pronounced Hel-ay-na, with the nickname Laney, which I always thought was really pretty. Though, at least in my area, the more accepted pronunciation is Helen-a.

I know a Helena known as Nel and had an aunt Henlena known as Lena

Thanks all, Helena is definitely my preference now. I like that there are several pronunciations/nn’s, so DD can choose which one to use when she’s older. It’s also the only name I haven’t read a single negative comment about.
I like Lucy with a -y but it was the name of my first pony (which is partly why I have a soft spot for it) but it just makes me see a naughty little Thelwell .
Now to convince DH…

@Datsandcogs I perhaps should have said ‘Welsh’ spelling rather than ‘correct’ but it’s certainly not ridiculous.

I know a very unposh He-lay-nah. I strongly prefer the Helen-a pronunciation. It's lovely. Helena Lucie is very pretty

Name changed for this, but Helena is my name. I'd be aware that you'll probably get all 3 pronunciations (Helen-a, Hel-ay-na and Hel-ee-na) on a regular basis, and people don't always remember which one you use. I was recently called all 3 by the same person in a work meeting within about 10 minutes I personally find it a bit of a PITA and have looked for names with no ambiguity in pronunciation for my own DC, but if you like that it has different pronunciations, go for it

I love Helena - with all the pronunciations.
I knew a Helena pronounced Hel-ee-na.
The others have been pronounced Helen-a.
I think my favourite would actually be Hel-ay-na though as I love the name Elena pronounced the same way but without the H.

I love Lucie for personal reasons.
I think the Lucie spelling is becoming more popular now as all the little Lucys I know are spelt with ie.