Eye-ree-na

Girl Names
1

Does this name even exist? If it does, how would I most correctly spell it?

Let me explain. I know I’ve known several girls/women who went by a name pronounced eye-ree-na. Like the English [name_f]Irene[/name_f], with an -a on the end. But I think they were trying to half-Americanize Russian [name_f]Irina[/name_f] which is said differently?

Would you spell it [name_f]Irena[/name_f]? [name_f]Irina[/name_f]? Something else?

I know in most other European languages it starts with an ee- sound, and sometimes ends with one too, as in Greek [name_f]Eirene[/name_f]. And I respect that. But I’d really like to know if ANYWHERE uses eye-[name_f]REE[/name_f]-na?

2

Ooh, I was like “[name_f]Irena[/name_f], duh!” but then as I read your post, I realized that [name_f]Irena[/name_f] doesn’t look quite right (also, it looks like ee-REH-na to me)
[name_f]Irina[/name_f] is said more like “ee-[name_f]REE[/name_f]-na” in my mind, so I’m not sure that works perfectly either.
If it helps, when I googled “eye-ree-na”, there were a bunch of people named [name_f]Irina[/name_f] who use Eye [name_f]Reena[/name_f] as a handle online, so maybe [name_f]Irina[/name_f] is the way to go, since that seems to be the most familiar?

3

I’d spell it [name_f]Irina[/name_f] or [name_f]Irena[/name_f]. Any [name_f]Irina[/name_f]/[name_f]Irena[/name_f] I’ve ever heard of has pronounced it eye-, not ee- (except the one Russian woman I knew, but that doesn’t count haha).

eye-ree-nah seems to be a legit pronunciation (in English speaking countries) for both spellings.

4

One of my closest friend’s name is “eye-[name_f]REE[/name_f]-na” and she spells it [name_f]Irina[/name_f].

5

Thanks!

I like it a lot. But I don’t want to destroy it, you know? Multiple legit forms is 100% fine, but I’d like to have one on my side, iykwim. Otherwise I’ll go with a different I name.

[name_f]Irina[/name_f] looks prettier as a whole and [name_f]Irena[/name_f] cuts down to [name_f]Renie[/name_f] quite well so I rank them as tied.

6

If you’re an English speaker, [name_f]Irena[/name_f] (Polish) or [name_f]Irina[/name_f] (Russian) would be pronounced the same way (eye-[name_f]REE[/name_f]-nah). I wouldn’t worry about the Eastern European pronunciations if you’re not of that heritage or live in an English-speaking country. I think [name_f]Irina[/name_f] would be the best option.

7

[name_f]Irena[/name_f] was my first instinct, and if someone told me verbally their name was eye-ree-nuh that’s how I’d spell it and that’s how I’d pronounce it if I had to call it out and didn’t know the person.
I’ve never seen the [name_f]Irina[/name_f] spelling. I can see it being perfectly workable, but it looks a bit unfinished to me–like it should have an M at the beginning or something.

8

I know of ir-reh-na, which is Scandinavian and [name_m]German[/name_m]. Personally I dislike the English version of the name – with “eye” – and prefer either the [name_m]French[/name_m] or Scandinavian. And I love [name_f]Irina[/name_f].

9

Edited for privacy.

10

Your title is exactly how I have always pronounced [name_f]Irena[/name_f] when I see it.

11

I am of Eastern European heritage but am fond of the long eye sound for family-honouring reasons. [name_f]My[/name_f] only misgiving was aunties going “that’s not how it’s REALLY said, you know…”

But there’s also family history of want an “eye” sound to honour somebody, so they’d be all right with it, just amused. And I definitely do live in an English speaking country!

I can understand that, but if I only maintain the “I” initial but not the “eye” sound, I’d probably go with something that can be shortened to [name_u]Izzy[/name_u], as my husband finds [name_u]Izzy[/name_u] very spunky and it would be a good mesh of his style and my family honour. ([name_m]Don[/name_m]'t worry, another name on the list honours his side!).

This is good info. I am never sure how familiar Russian/Eastern European spellings are.

12

I pronounce both [name_f]Irina[/name_f] & [name_f]Irena[/name_f] eye-reen-uh, and I think that’s how most people would pronounce them. [name_m]Both[/name_m] are legit forms, [name_f]Irena[/name_f] is the Latinate form and [name_f]Irina[/name_f] is the Russian cognate form of [name_f]Irene[/name_f]. Either one works.

13

I am in the USA. I would intuitively spell it [name_f]Irena[/name_f] as it sounds like [name_f]Irene[/name_f], only with an “uh” at the end. I think I might hesitate with [name_f]Irina[/name_f] because it looks more foreign to me (doesn’t automatically go to [name_f]Irene[/name_f]) and I would debate “ih-ree-nuh” or “eye-rih-nuh” though if then I was told how to pronounce it be like “oh, yeah…that makes sense too…”