When you HEAR this name (“uh-lay-nuh”) how would you SPELL it? I know this one can have some variations in spelling but I’m wondering if that’s due to international interpretations and what the “Norm” is here in the US? Would you hesitate to knowing how to spell it if you heard it out of the blue?
I’ve known a few (I live in California), and they’ve all been spelt [name_f]Elena[/name_f]!
I think [name_f]Elena[/name_f] would be my guess if I heard it out loud! But, if I saw [name_f]Elena[/name_f] on paper, I wouldn’t be sure how to pronounce it. I really like the look of both [name_f]Elaina[/name_f] and [name_f]Alaina[/name_f] too.
I would guess [name_f]Elena[/name_f] because I’m pretty sure its the most common spelling but I would hesitate a little because I wouldn’t be surprised if it was also [name_f]Elaina[/name_f], [name_f]Alaina[/name_f], or [name_f]Alayna[/name_f] especially with the first vowel being said “uh” (more of an “eh” sound would narrow it down to the E spellings).
[name_f]Elaina[/name_f] would probably be most US peeps if I had to guess as [name_f]Elena[/name_f] is more naturally “Eh-len-uh” but it’s getting common enough now that most probably would know to say [name_f]Elaina[/name_f] even if it’s spelled [name_f]Elena[/name_f].
I think “Elena” would be the most common / normal spelling of the name. But I’ve also met an [name_f]Alaina[/name_f] with that pronunciation. I think [name_f]Alana[/name_f] would be pronounced as “a - lawn - ah” here.
I might hesitate on how to spell it simply because I know there are multiple spellings. But [name_f]Elena[/name_f] would probably be my first guess.
Honestly this. I’ll hesitate, but I’ll likely do so for any name where I’m aware there’s more than one way to spell it that gets use, and especially for something like this where I’ve met people irl with different spellings.
I live in the [name_m]Southern[/name_m] US
The only person I know who has a name pronounced that way spells it [name_f]Alaina[/name_f]. [name_f]Elena[/name_f] is always eh-LEHN-ah, but I live in a very large Hispanic community and Latino and speak Spanish, [name_f]Elena[/name_f] is super commonly used where I am and pronounced eh-LEHN-ah every time I’ve seen it
For that pronunciation I would go with [name_f]Alaina[/name_f] personally but I also think [name_f]Elaina[/name_f] or [name_f]Alayna[/name_f] would work fine!
For the pronunciation I’m getting from what you wrote, I would go with [name_f]Alaina[/name_f]. However, I prefer [name_f]Elena[/name_f], with the more “ee-lay-nuh” pronunciation. And I live in Appalachia with a very pronounced hillbilly accent, but I’ll always work to say that name correctly. That being said, I’ve had students over the years with different versions of it and some let it go, and others will correct the beginning to which way they prefer. (Also, I say [name_f]Alana[/name_f] more like 'uh-lawn-uh")
[name_f]Elena[/name_f] is my go to because it seems most classic and what I’m most familiar with. I know a little Ala!na though so that would be my second thought.
I actually know a young woman named [name_f]Elena[/name_f] who is not Hispanic or Latina.
The only spelling I would be surprised by would be [name_f]Alana[/name_f] which I would assume to be uh-Lah-nuh not uh-Lay-nuh