Helena

[caitlinrose]

Helena is a name I liked a while back. I didn't even think of it for the longest time. I recently discovered it again.

What do you think of Helena?

I like that it's a classic but sometimes it bothers me that it has the "hell"-sound in it and does sound a bit dark and gloomy.

Does Ellie work as a nickname for Helena? Ellie is on our list too.

It's not like I wouldn't use Ellie as a full name, it's more that I like Helena and Ellie but I don't like any nicknames for Helena (Hellie, Lena, Leni) but I do like Ellie so wondering if this would work as a nickname from time to time or to offer to people who want to use a nickname so that they don't resort to Hellie.

Love it but biased as I have one! We don’t shorten it at all and use the ‘Hell-en-a’ pronunciation.

I love the name Helena. Classic and strong. Pretty but not frilly. I'm not sure Ellie is a natural nickname but you could absolutely call her that if you wanted. I know an Emilia who's called Mia. Nicknames often just evolve

Love it. My SIL is a Helena, has various nicknames one of them Hel. Suits her. Classic beautiful name.

Gorgeous name. Was on our list, but was too alliterative with our last name (I didn’t want our daughter to sound like a Marvel Character!) Chose a very similar sounding name instead, but definitely one of my favourite names.

Nice. I would pronounce Hel ain a

Helena is a lovely name and Ellie is fine as the nickname if that is what you want to do.

Not just Helen? That’s an unusual name there days.

Nicknames aren’t great tho, people are likely to shorten to Helly or “H”.

Beautiful name. But only when pronounced as Helen-er. The other versions make me cringe for some reason.

Helena is gorgeous; the hell thing has never occurred to me. Ellie is horrible.

@TidyDancer why would you put an r at the end?

Love it. Don’t shorten it though! So many Ellie’s about.

I'm a helen and hate the hel bit I used to ask my dm why my name was a swear word... although I prefer it to some 80s names

I like Helena

But I wouldn't shorten to Ellie as I find that so overused and boring personally

Now you you mention the Hell part, I too can hear it actually...

I'm the opposite. I think hel-en-er isn't as nice and the cheaper sister of Eleanor (which is obv the or not the er)

Hel-ain-a for me. although I think it's really pretty I feel it's an "old" name

Love it.

The best pronunciation in my opinion is Hel-uhna. But she will get called Hel-ayna and Hel-eena.

But only when pronounced as Helen-er.

What

Gorgeous bane. So classic and makes me think of beauty

I think you've misread my post! I was talking about the pronunciation not the spelling.

She'd constantly have her name mispronounced, whichever version you choose. Don't underestimate how annoying it can be to have a name like that.

Surely it’s “a” at the end not “er”?

I didn’t misread @TidyDancer I was asking why you were pronouncing it with an r at the end when there is none?

I like it but only Helen-er
I don't like-
Hel- ain - er
Hel- een- a

Beautiful name. Always loved it.

Maybe it's an accent thing then. I wouldn't emphasise the a at the end, it's a duller/softer sound to me. Anyway, not a big deal.

Basically I just really don't like the hell-ay-nah or hell-ee-nah versions.