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View Full Version : Girl Baby Name Spelling



tmphilo
05-03-2010, 03:51 PM
I need some help with the spelling of a girl's name...if you want the name to be pronounced "ee-lay-na", what spelling would you use? I don't want it to end up being pronounced as "ellen-a" but am not a fan of Elaine (no offense) and so Elaina isn't my top spelling choice. Also, I don't want a name that looks like a unique spelling. Thank you for your help!

ETA Oops! I didn't mean to make the poll public - I just wanted the results to show. Sorry! My first poll...

Octobermommy
05-03-2010, 03:53 PM
Elaina would be the spelling I would expect.

WatchingThemGrow
05-03-2010, 03:55 PM
I know different pronunciations for all the others, so I vote Elaina.

wellyes
05-03-2010, 03:55 PM
I've known two Elenas. But they both pronounced it ah-leh-nah.

ohiomom1121
05-03-2010, 03:58 PM
I know different pronunciations for all the others, so I vote Elaina.
I think this is perfect. My middle name is Alana (uh-lay-nuh) and NO ONE says it correctly. It's my middle so no big deal though.

SnuggleBuggles
05-03-2010, 04:02 PM
Elena is most likely to be pronounced how you want, imo. I voted too quickly and picked Alayna but that would be an "ah" sound. If you stand a chance of getting your "ee" then you need to start it with an E or there is little hope, imo. People aren't going to see an "a" and make it a long "e" sound, kwim?

Beth

tmphilo
05-03-2010, 04:05 PM
Thank you for the help! I think I would be fine with an "ah" sound rather than "ee" but just want to avoid the "ellen-a" pronunciation. To me, I wouldn't use "ellen-a" unless there was a double ll.

infomama
05-03-2010, 04:13 PM
The only Elena I know is pronounced the way you want. I voted for that spelling.

HIU8
05-03-2010, 04:17 PM
DD's name is Alana (pronounced ah-la-nah). People mispronounce it all the time. We get Elana, Ilana, Ellena, Allena (doesn't matter to me b/c I call her Ilana all the time as well--it's her hebrew name. The other pronounciations bother me though). If you want the hard E at the beginning I would go with Elayna (IMO if you leave out the Y you get the ee-la-nah pronounciation).

KpbS
05-03-2010, 04:19 PM
We know a little girl spelled Alaina.

JoyNChrist
05-03-2010, 04:22 PM
Elena is my first choice; Elaina is my second.

TwinFoxes
05-03-2010, 05:12 PM
I've never heard any of these pronounced Ellen-ah.

I do think you're setting yourself/DD up for a lifetime of mispronunciations, but that's not the worst thing in the world. One of my DDs name could possibly be pronounced differently, but the few people I know with her name, and the two vaguely famous people with her name pronounce it our way so we haven't had problems yet.

choopi
05-03-2010, 09:56 PM
I also know an Alaina. I really like Elena. I think that looks very classic.


We know a little girl spelled Alaina.

jodi_b
05-04-2010, 02:57 PM
My DD's name is Elena, pronounced eh-lay-na. Her name has been pronounced ellen-a once or twice in the last four years and el-leen-a once, but most people pronounce it the way we intended. We considered Elaina to reduce pronunciation confusion, but decided to go with the spelling we preferred. I'm glad we did.

We do have to spell her name for others, but that seems to be the case with most names.

For what it's worth, we live in the midwest; sometimes the region makes a difference in how names are pronounced.

An early welcome to a new Elena, Elayna, Alaina, etc!

gordo
05-04-2010, 03:05 PM
Spell it Eliana since that is my daughters name but everyone calls her "ee-lay-na" ;)

I would go with Elaina. I know too Elena's and they both pronounce the way you don't want "ellen-a"

Piglet
05-04-2010, 03:36 PM
My mom is Elena (Russain, Yelena). She pronounces it exactly like you want it pronounced, but she does have a hard time with some people mispronouncing it. In fact she went for years being called Ellen because it was easier, but she has come to terms with her name and wveryone calls her the right name now. She is friends with an Alaina, but the pronunciation us more Uh-laina. My preference is to go with more traditional spellings of names, though, so I prefer Elena.

tmphilo
05-04-2010, 03:44 PM
My DD's name is Elena, pronounced eh-lay-na. Her name has been pronounced ellen-a once or twice in the last four years and el-leen-a once, but most people pronounce it the way we intended. We considered Elaina to reduce pronunciation confusion, but decided to go with the spelling we preferred. I'm glad we did.

We do have to spell her name for others, but that seems to be the case with most names.

For what it's worth, we live in the midwest; sometimes the region makes a difference in how names are pronounced.

An early welcome to a new Elena, Elayna, Alaina, etc!


Thank you! This makes me feel better as my preferred spelling for it is Elena. DH just keeps questioning the spelling. She'll be here on Thursday (eek 2 days! - scheduled c-section) so I'm feeling a little anxious. I think we will go with "Elena" spelling.

Thanks everyone for the help! :)