Alena or Elena?

[name]Just[/name] wondering which you would choose…
Siblings are:
[name]Elise[/name] (age 7)
[name]Marie[/name] (age 5)
[name]Clara[/name] (almost 3)

I like [name]Elena[/name] except that it starts like [name]Elise[/name], but then again their age is so different that they would never go to the same school, be in the same class, etc. That’s why I’m thinking of [name]Alena[/name]… What would you do??

Thanks bunches!
[name]Jamie[/name]

Have you considered [name]Alana[/name]? It’s usually pronounced uh [name]LON[/name] uh not uh [name]LAYN[/name] uh, but looks different from [name]Elise[/name]. Otherwise, I’d stick with [name]Elena[/name]. It’s such a common spelling of uh [name]LAYN[/name] uh that I think it’d be frustrating to explain the spelling of [name]Alena[/name] for the rest of her life. And the names may look similar, but they don’t sound similar, so I wouldn’t worry too much.

Definitely [name]Elena[/name].

Thanks! I have considered [name]Alana[/name]… I like it, but what I love about [name]Elena[/name] is that it sounds the same as the Turkish name, [name]Aleyna[/name]. We live in Turkey so it would be great if our little girl could have a name that is easy to use in both American and Turkish cultures.
I’m thinking we’ll probably stick with [name]Elena[/name], but the feedback really helps!
[name]Jamie[/name]

I prefer [name]Elena[/name], I think the shared [name]El[/name]- prefix is fine, [name]Elena[/name] and [name]Elise[/name] don’t really sound alike to me :slight_smile:

Personally, I wouldn’t change the spelling. [name]Elena[/name] is beautiful if matchy with [name]Elise[/name]'s name. [name]Alena[/name] just looks odd to me like [name]Olivia[/name] spelled [name]Alivia[/name] which I see too much. Other options: [name]Alaina[/name], [name]Alina[/name] or my fave [name]Helena[/name].

[name]Elena[/name]! beautiful, classic!

When I read [name]Alena[/name] I always say uh-[name]LEN[/name]-uh, and I don’t think that’s what you’re going for. Having said that, personally I’d be uncomfortable with two daughters names beginning with “[name]El[/name]” (or “An”, “[name]Em[/name]”, “[name]Lil[/name]” whatever). If you’re after the uh-[name]LAY[/name]-na sound (which I love) but would prefer it starting with an A, I agree that [name]Alaina[/name] is a good choice.

I too would prefer [name]Alina[/name], [name]Alana[/name] or [name]Helena[/name] though. I think [name]Helena[/name] has the same class and sophistication of your other daughters names and is the best match.

[name]Elise[/name], [name]Marie[/name], [name]Clara[/name] and [name]Helena[/name] - beautiful :slight_smile:
[name]Elise[/name], [name]Marie[/name], [name]Clara[/name] and [name]Helene[/name] - perfect!

I love how [name]Elise[/name], [name]Marie[/name] and [name]Clara[/name], are simple but oh so elegant, and each have unique intials (E,M,C) unique endings (“s”, “ee”, “a”) and unique sounds in them. Obviously it’s more important that you love each individual name, but I kind of feel like [name]Elena[/name] would “ruin” the set, for want of a better word. This may not be of a concern to you which is fair enough, but it’s all I can think off and I’m not even usually opposed to repeating initials etc, in fact I’ll probably do it myself!

What about [name]Yasmin[/name]? Similar to [name]Yasemin[/name] which is very popular in Turkey.

Between [name]Elena[/name] and [name]Alena[/name] though, ultimately I’d choose [name]Elena[/name] since I think it will cause less pronunciation confusion.

Good luck!

I [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Helena[/name] and [name]Helene[/name], especially [name]Helene[/name]… I think they flow well with the other girls. [name]One[/name] other constraint I’m working with, though, is that all five of us (including my husband and I) have 5 letter names. So, in addition to all the other considerations (not sounding too much like the other girls, dealing with 2 languages, flowing well within the sib set) we’re also wanting a 5 letter name. Honestly, I like [name]Elena[/name]. I don’t [name]LOVE[/name] it yet, but it seems to be the only one so far that I like that my husband is excited about as well. So, we’ll see how it goes!

Hmmm - wow that’s tough! [name]Helen[/name]? Not quite the same feel or sound as [name]Helena[/name], but works really well with your set.

I think I suggested a bunch of 5 letter names (different initals, different endings etc) in your previous thread so I won’t bombard you with more, but good luck as I know how hard it is to get man excited about any name! Lol.

I like [name]Alina[/name] with your sibset!

It’s true!!! He does not get excited about anything I like, and the names he throws out are from who knows what planet. Lots of people suggested all sorts of beautiful names. I went through and picked all the ones I liked and then he pretty much took that list and whittled it down to nothing. Naming would be so much easier alone! Although I guess that’s part of the fun of it!

Oh yes, much easier alone! But then maybe we’d have too much choice and not be able to make a decision? I don’t know about you, but usually for me, when he loves a name too I suddenly get really attached to it. But only if I love it first! Lol.

Again, good luck. You have 3 daughters with beautiful names that he must have agreed to so I’m sure you can manage it a 4th time! Something you both really love and that fits well will pop up I’m sure! I find my partner can have a totally different reaction to a name depending on his mood, and usually forgets his first reaction ha. So maybe try some of the names on him again! You never know.

[name]Alena[/name] because you already have an E name, and when I first saw the name [name]Elena[/name] years ago, I thought it was said “[name]Elle[/name]-en-nah”.
And why don’t you just name her [name]Aleyna[/name]?

Everyone else in the family has 5 letter names (including me and my husband). It wasn’t on purpose, but now that we were surprised with girl number 4 we feel the need to stick with the pattern. I feel like I somehow backed myself into a corner. :-/

I agree with everyone who has mentioned the name [name]Alina[/name]. When I saw your first post, I thought of it right away. [name]Alena[/name] to me read ‘[name]Ah[/name]-leen-ah’ immediately, but I do prefer it to [name]Elena[/name] if you’d like to keep the sound as ‘[name]Al[/name]-lei-nah’. I have a friend named [name]Elena[/name], and she adamantly corrects anyone who pronounces her name incorrectly. I remember it was hard to keep straight at first–I’d find myself thinking: 'Is it ‘[name]Ell[/name]-uh-nah? Ee-lay-nuh??’, etc…Also, it seems verrry close to [name]Elise[/name] in my opinion, with that spelling.
My vote goes to [name]Alena[/name], but have you or your husband considered [name]Alina[/name]?

I would not have siblings named [name]Elise[/name] and [name]Elena[/name] even though they are gorgeous names, and [name]Alena[/name] is OUCH! I wouldn’t go with [name]Alina[/name] it is just too similar.

I think [name]Hazel[/name] would make a good fit, [name]Elise[/name], [name]Hazel[/name], [name]Marie[/name] and [name]Clara[/name], it is a pretty sibset. Of course [name]Helena[/name] would make a lovely fit too.

Between [name]Elena[/name] and [name]Alena[/name], I’d definitely go with [name]Elena[/name]. It’s the best fit with your criteria, and it’s not too close to [name]Elise[/name].
[name]Hope[/name] that helps! :slight_smile:

[name]Elena[/name]- I prn it [name]Elle[/name]-ay-nah