Opinions needed on Violet and Helena please

[TheTealOtter]

Like both but a few people I've mentioned to associate Violet with "violent" and wondering how most people say Helena. We would pronounce "Helen-ah" but know there is the potential for Hel-ay-na, Hel-ee-na, and Helen-ar (too similar to Eleanor?) Violet or Helena or (suggestions)?

Love Violet

Much prefer Helena

I love the name Violet although I must admit that when I was a child I spent at least two years believing that the character in the Just William stories was called Violent Elizabeth. I wouldn’t let that put you off though.
I also love Helena (and would pronounce it Helen-a, not Helayna).

I do like Violet; I think it's a lovely name, but I adore Helen (not Helena) - it's beautiful and timeless, plus it is very unusual now

Both beautiful names OP. Violet is my favourite girls name ever. I've never associated it with the word violent and Helena (Helen-ah) and Eleanor were on our short list for girls - alas we had boys.
As we have similar tastes, the other girls names we liked were Sylvia/Sylvie, Nina and Naomi.

Personally love Violet. Helena is nice but Helen gives me Karen vibes

Helena is a timeless, elegant Shakespearean classic - nearly always pronounced as “Helen-uh” in England as that’s the Shakespearean way. It’s lovely imo, I’m surprised it’s so underused - I suspect the popularity of Helen in the past put the kibosh on it a bit (the way Julia was underused compared to Julie, Louisa to Louise, Diana to Diane etc).

Violet rises and falls a lot with trends and doesn’t have quite as nice a sound to me (though I do appreciate the colour and floral imagery).

You might also want to consider the most likely potential nn’s too - I suspect Nell or Vi respectively (though I guess Ellie/Lena or Letty are possibles). Personally again I prefer Nell.

On Shakespearean theme - I do really love Juliet, Julia and Viola too though, if you wanted more ideas 🤣

Love Helena — classic and elegant but uncommon. Shakespearean. Beautiful name!

I’m less keen on Violet but only because I associate it with the elderly aunts of my childhood (a generation now mostly passed away!) But, as pp have said, Viola is lovely (Shakespearean too!) and in a similarly classic and elegant style to Helena. Similarly Shakespearean names might be Juliet, Celia, Rosalind and Portia.

Both are beautiful!

I prefer Helena it's such a pretty name and much more uncommon. I pronounce it the same as you and know one who pronounces it the same too. I also like Helen

I like both names - but where I live many people would drop the H which would be annoying.

Helena - in particular Hel Ay Nah

violet reads like violent to me

I love both.
Classic as they are, Helena is a very famous emo anthem. Violet is the name of Dave Grohl’s daughter. So they could also be quite rock and roll!
I agree with PPs who suggested Viola. I’d have loved to use that.

I've never made the association with violet and violence myself, op. I like that the most

I like Violet, it’s quite popular if that bothers you.

I’d probably go for Helena of the two as it’s a little more grown up and elegant. Assuming people don’t call her Hells. There’s a fairly good chance it will be shortened - Nell and Lena are nice nns but Ella will be dull (so many of them.

I think the classic UK Helen-ah is still standard (I think Helen-ar is just an accent variation?) Hel-ay-nah seems to be gaining ground, Hel-ee-na less likely. .

You could think about Viola but then some people will pronounce it like the instrument, which does sound a bit hillbilly when applied to a person…

How about Harriet? 😁

Helena.
Do you like ..
Elena
Helen
Ellinor.