View Message

I've lived most of my life in Texas, but I've also spent years in New York and Florida. I've met multiple Elenas, many Spanish speaking, but not all. They've all been eh-LE-na or eh-LAY-na. None of them have pronounced it like Ellen with an -uh on the end. I think I'd be thrown for a loop, at least for a while, if I met someone who wanted the EL-eh-na pronunciation. Putting the emphasis on that first syllable is very awkward and unfamiliar to me.

---

I pronounce Helena differently, like Helen with an -uh on the end: HEL-eh-na. I've known two. One pronounced it HEL-eh-na, the other huh-LAY-na.

---

I'd pronounce Alaina like uh-LAY-na and Elaina like eh-LAY-na. It's a small difference, but it's there. I would never pronounce Elaina as ee-LAY-na, mostly because I don't pronounce Elaine as ee-LAYN. It's more like eh-LAYN or even uh-LAYN. I've seen Alaina in local BAs, but I've never met anyone named Alaina or Elaina face-to-face.