Which spelling?

[pippi_89]

We're still team yellow but if we're having a girl our top name so far is Eleanor, nn Ella but we're disagreeing over spelling. I prefer Elena. I don't really know why but I prefer the way it looks, also Ellen was the name of my gg grandmother and her grandmother, and it's a closer spelling to that. OH said he's not bothered either way but he thinks I'm just being fussy so he won't discuss it at all

Which would you use?

Eleanor or Elena

(mn possibly Jasmine, open to any suggestions though)

 

[Starlight32]

I like Elena

 

[pippi_89]

Also, would you pronounce them the same? I suppose Elena could look like E-lain-a? I don't know

On the other hand, we would probably use Ella much more than the full name anyway.

 

[xSweetTartx]

I think both are lovely but if you're going for the same pronunciation, spelling it as Elena will throw people off.

Love Jasmine as your middle name choice because it will be my daughter's first name! Taking it into consideration, Eleanor Jasmine as an adult name makes me think of a very responsible and respectable woman.

 

[Spudtastic]

I pronounce those two as two different names.
Elena - El - ain - er/a

Eleanor - Ellen- nor

Both are beautiful though so whatever you pick is a great choice.

 

[staralfur]

Two completely different names to me! I would pronounce Eleanor as El-in-or and Elena as El-ay-na.

I prefer Eleanor.

 

[Lumi]

I prefer Eleanor, I would pronounce El-in-or
Elena I would pronounce E-lain-a

 

[Amygdala]

I prefer the Elena spelling and know it can be pronounced like Eleanor. But you'll definitely get people pronouncing it el-lay-na and you'll probably have to spell it a lot. That wouldn't necessarily put me off, especially if you're planning on using Ellie most of the time. But I'd consider carefully whether I could live with it.

 

[Starlight32]

Oh yeah I would say these differently as others have said. I prefer Elena though.

 

[Bevziibubble]

I prefer Eleanor

 

[pippi_89]

Thanks everyone. To be honest, I'm not too worried about having to spell it out as we very rarely write their full names anywhere, except official forms. The only time I ever really use Amelia and Oliver is when they're getting told off

What does everyone think of Ellena? I think that would make the pronunciation a bit more obvious but I'm not sure if I like how it looks.

 

[angelmum31]

Prefer Eleanor to Elena and Ellena, Eleanor is a beautiful name - looks much classier in my opinion than the other spellings x

 

[cupcakekate]

I like both but would probably go with Eleanor x

 

[lau86]

My dd is Eleanor, So I'm biased but I do prefer it over Elena or Ellena, also agree that they're pronounced differently

 

[Spudtastic]

Personally if I wanted everyone to say Eleanor I would spell the name as Eleanor rather than as a different name.
I knew someone whose name was spelled Janette. Looking at the name people pronounced it Jan-ett. But her family said the name as Janet (said Jan-it).
It drove her bonkers and it's a more subtle difference than Eleanor and Elena. A lot more people read the name first than you realise, for eg, the doctors, schools, any adult classes etc. And people get the first name stuck in their head and don't change it.

Just my two cents worth. At the end of the day it is your choice and as I've said before, both beautiful names.

 

[Elisheva009]

Those are two different names, pronounced differently to me.

Ellena I'd pronounce the same as Eleanor, but you'd get a lot of misspellings with that.

If you want that pronunciation, I'd go with Eleanor.

What about Helena has an alternative? No questions about spelling or pronunciation there.

 

[staralfur]

I would be confused about Ellena - I wouldn't know whether to go with Ellen-ah or El-ay-na.

As someone who has spent her whole life spelling her name out and correcting pronounciation I would steer clear of it, but I know some people don't mind. I personally find it quite annoying, though.

 

[Amygdala]

What about Helena has an alternative? No questions about spelling or pronunciation there.

That's what I thought!!! But no, our Helena gets Hell-en-a and Hay-lay-na roughly in equal measure and I'm asked to spell it so often I now say "Helena, like Helen with an a". Didn't see it coming at all...

 

[staralfur]

I pronounce Helena as Hel-ay-na. Never heard it pronounced as Helen-ah though I can definitely see how it would be.

 

[Lucy139]

Two completely different names to me! I would pronounce Eleanor as El-in-or and Elena as El-ay-na.

I prefer Eleanor.

Exactly this ...