A variation on [name_f]Helen[/name_f] could be an honor name for us. Some of these are common variants, others are a bit of a stretch. Which are your favorites? Which would fit best with big sis [name_f]Thalia[/name_f]?
My favorites are [name_f]Elena[/name_f], [name_f]Helena[/name_f], [name_f]Lina[/name_f] and [name_f]Olena[/name_f]. [name_f]Ilona[/name_f]'s nice too. With [name_f]Thalia[/name_f], I like [name_f]Helena[/name_f] or [name_f]Olena[/name_f] best I think.
These are all of the ones that I think work, with favorites starred.
[name_f]Elena[/name_f] - A little trendy and close to [name_f]Thalia[/name_f], though.
*[name_f]Elin[/name_f] - I love this, and also the Welsh [name_f]Elen[/name_f].
*[name_f]Helaine[/name_f] - This is so pretty and unexpected with [name_f]Thalia[/name_f].
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] - Probably too chose to [name_f]Thalia[/name_f]?
[name_f]Helene[/name_f] - So pretty but seems like a lot for a little girl.
Heli - Unusual and spunky.
[name_f]Ilena[/name_f] - I like this one, but I think you would be inviting pronunciation disasters.
*[name_f]Lena[/name_f] - Simple and beautiful.
[name_f]Alina[/name_f]/[name_f]Elena[/name_f]/[name_f]Elina[/name_f] - pretty, fairly common, nice with thalia
[name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] - lovely, classic
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] - I really like the way [name_f]Helena[/name_f] and [name_f]Thalia[/name_f] sound together (I pronounce [name_f]Helena[/name_f] huh-LEH-nuh), plus lots of cute nns
[name_f]Lena[/name_f]/[name_f]Lina[/name_f]- one of my favorite names, simple but pretty and substantial, I pronounce it with a long ee sound
[name_f]Lenna[/name_f] - same as above, short eh sound
[name_f]Senara[/name_f] - really cool and interesting
[name_f]Elena[/name_f], [name_f]Helena[/name_f], and [name_f]Lena[/name_f] are probably my favs:)
My vote would’ve gone to [name_f]Eleni[/name_f], but since you can’t use it I’d probably say [name_f]Lenna[/name_f].
[name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] and [name_f]Elena[/name_f] are sweet, and I love [name_f]Lena[/name_f] too. I’d always pronounced the latter as [name_f]Lenna[/name_f] - which is the pronunciation I prefer, but have resigned to accept that it’s actually pronounced like [name_f]Leena[/name_f].
I actually love [name_f]Eliora[/name_f] the most out of these, but unfortunately I fail to see how it honours [name_f]Helen[/name_f].
[name_m]Just[/name_m] wanted to pop back in to say that I also think [name_f]Lucia[/name_f] would be lovely next to [name_f]Thalia[/name_f], and it does share a meaning with [name_f]Helen[/name_f].
I wonder if you’ve considered any of the Latinate names meaning light - [name_f]Lucia[/name_f] would work particularly well with [name_f]Thalia[/name_f].
Of your options here, [name_f]Eleni[/name_f] is my favorite, but since that’s unusable for you, I love [name_f]Alina[/name_f]/[name_f]Elena[/name_f]. I’d also suggest [name_f]Elaina[/name_f] or [name_f]Alaina[/name_f] for you - [name_f]Alaina[/name_f] would be my overall favorite. I like the way it flows stylistically, rhythmically, and visually with [name_f]Thalia[/name_f], while having a distinct sound.
[name_f]Eilidh[/name_f], [name_f]Eleni[/name_f], and [name_f]Helena[/name_f] are my favorites, so of your options, [name_f]Helena[/name_f], I guess? I love [name_f]Eliora[/name_f], but it’s not a form of [name_f]Helen[/name_f], I’m sorry to say. And [name_f]Helen[/name_f]’s tie to some of these, like [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] and [name_f]Senara[/name_f], is only rumored.
I’d love to suggest [name_f]Eilidh[/name_f] though, which I’ve always heard is the Scottish form of [name_f]Helen[/name_f] (although there’s debate about that, as well, so I guess it’s no better than the lovely [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]?). Of your options, though, I’m all for [name_f]Helena[/name_f]—she’s so ridiculously lovely!!
