How do you pronounce Helena?

[VillageMama]

This has been very interesting to me, so thank you for all of the comments! I can't say that I've decided whether having a name pronounced two different ways would be a major nuisance or only a minor one.

I've got seven more months to decide and it could be a boy! I love the name but I don't know if I want to subject my daughter to a lifetime of "HeLAYna Jones, you may come back now"... and having her mutter, "It's HELLena.".

Maybe I'll go with Violet.

 

[natcat117]

I don't know if this pronunciation has been mentioned before, but I always said it as eh-LEN-ah. The H is silent. Who knew there were so many different ways to say it? Fwiw, I think all the pronunciations sound really nice.

 

[disykat]

This thread reminds me of a song my dad used to sing to me and my siblings.

"Helen Brown, Helen Brown, oh she looks so good in purple but she looks like Helen Brown. Helen Brown, Helen Brown...." We also used to giggle like idiots because he was being so "naughty!"

 

[tw1nsmom]

My aunt is Helene. Rhymes with Arlene, Carleen & lean.

That's my middle name.

 

[Mrs. Chamberlain]

We have a town around her called St. Helena, and for my entire life, I've heard it pronounced "huh-LEE-nuh"

 

[browneyes106]

heh-LAY-nuh

 

[walden]

It's a very pretty name, and one that has been in various generations of my family for years.

But your child may have to correct pronunciations throught her lifetime. Consider that,

For what it is worth, and just to complicate matters, we pronounce it:

Hel-en-Ah!

 

[JVL1018]

I have a neice named Helen.

And my son has a Helen in his 2nd grade class..except its spelled Hellen for some reason.
She's adorable, so the name has grown on me.

Vicki

 

[RadioNate]

Heh-LAY-nuh, and I think it's pretty when it's pronounced that way. The only time I say HELL-eh-nuh is for the city in Montana.

That .... Even though I voted wrong.

 

[Liberty Belle]

My first instinct is to pronounce it Heh-LAY-nuh. I have heard it pronounced hell-uh-nuh, though. It's a pretty name, but I prefer Helen.

 

[bunkkinsmom]

HeLAYna, Light of the sun. I have one! and she is!

 

[bananda]

heh-LAY-nah, HEL-en-ah or heh-LAH-nah