Love a name and need your help

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-10-2003
Love a name and need your help
7
Sun, 02-11-2007 - 9:53am

Hello everyone-
its been forever since I was here. In fact my baby is now 6 years old! We're starting to plan #3- didn't think we would ever have anymore but we both would like another.

Names are an obsession of mine. So I'm already thinking and planning. We have 2 daughters and a son. Both girls have "H"names and just when I thought I didn't like any more H names I heard the name Helena pronounced Ha-Lain-a. I'm concerned about the spelling. If I spell it the traditional way- Helena I'm afraid no one will ever pronounce it right and call her Ha-Leen-a or Helen-a. But on the other hand I'm not all that crazy about funky spellings either. My moms name is Elaine so it would be nice to get the Lain in there but what do you think? Helena? Helainah? Helanah? Helayna?

I also cannot come up with a middle name. Any ideas would be great!

Thanks so much! KCH

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-09-2005
Sun, 02-11-2007 - 10:50am

Love the name, and DEFINITELY go with the proper Helena spelling. Anything other than that just looks off and Helena is a known enough name, I'm sure it won't get mispronounced. What about...

Helena Charlotte

Helena Scarlett

Helena Corinne

Helena Sage

Helena Blythe

Helena Faye

Helena Bridget

Helena Mabel

HTH,
-Nikki


                             
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-15-2007
Sun, 02-11-2007 - 1:35pm

What a beautiful name! I really like it. I see your point, though, about the pronunciation. One complication there is that HELena and HeLAYna are BOTH correct pronunciations of this name, so it is reasonable to predict that some people will say "HELena," and others will say "HeLAYna." (Helena Bonham Carter, for example, uses the first pronunciation.)

But I also think that some of the alternatives you've suggested are MORE likely to be mispronounced than the traditional spelling of Helena. One looks to me like it would be pronounced "HelANNa" or "HelONNa." Another looks to me like "Hel-INE-a."

Personally, I would go with the traditional spelling and just tell people how to pronounce it - - no one should be surprised because HeLAYna is a traditional pronunciation. In other words, it is not one of those names that is spelled so unusually or "kre8ively" that it will be problematic, in my opinion.

If I HAD to pick an alternate spelling for Helena, though, I guess I would go with Helayna. To my eye, there is just one way to pronounce it - - HeLAYna.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-17-2003
Sun, 02-11-2007 - 1:37pm
This is a tough one. I am assuming the person you met indroduced herself, so you knew right away how to pronounce it..If you are able to speak with that person again, I would tell her you love the name and ask questions to see if it has ever been an issue for her. I would spell it Helena. And as you daughter gets old she may have to correct some people. I don't really think that is a big deal. My daughter is Mia (Mee-ah) and some people ask if it is Mee-ah or My-a. I just correct people if they say it incorrectly. I love the sound of Ha-Lain-a and I think if you start getting risky with the speeling it may actually cause more confusion. I hope that helped- Tara
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-11-2007
Sun, 02-11-2007 - 6:36pm

I LOVE "Helanah"...

Pronounced like it is written, very unique and quite eliquent.

: }

Avatar for prifti
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sun, 02-11-2007 - 6:41pm
My husband's 12 year old step sister is Helena it has never been an issue for her when seen in print. She had a thick accent when she first moved to the states at 5 years old, so it was more of an issue when she told people her name(sounded like e lA na with a very very short e) and not so much when they read it. That is a problem that I doubt you would have unless you a have a thick European accent:) She doesn't have a middle name so no suggestions there but I think the ones you already got are great!
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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-07-2006
Sun, 02-11-2007 - 10:23pm
I love the name, but would spell it Helena definately. I think it's common enough that people would know how to say it.

_________________________________________
Carly + Phil
proud parents of our four princesses: Alaina Rhoslyn (Lainey) 2.15.07, twins Georgia Carol and Natalia Lorraine (Gigi and Talia) 7.31.08, Penelope Julia (Penny) 8.25.10 and our newest littl

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Mon, 02-12-2007 - 6:57am

>>Helainah? Helanah?<<<