I think [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] is a nice name, but I don’t love it. However, I do love [name_f]Nell[/name_f] a lot, but it doesn’t seem like a full name to me - I think it’s fine if people use it as a full name but I’m just not a fan of “nicknames as full names” personally so it doesn’t go with any of my other favourites.
I think my issue with [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] is the slight ambiguity in pronunciation. I like what I assume is the American pronunciation (last syllable sounds like [name_f]Noor[/name_f] and the R is hard obviously). However, I’m not crazy about the same pronunciation in other [name_f]English[/name_f] accents where the R is not hard (it seems posh/lazy to me), nor do I like the pronunciation that sounds more like [name_f]Elena[/name_f].
I think I’ve cycled through all other [name_f]Nell[/name_f] options - I’m not a huge fan of [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] or various versions of [name_f]Anneliese[/name_f], I do quite like [name_f]Helena[/name_f] but idk, it’s not an obvious one really.
This is probably more of a rant really because I don’t think there is a solution
I definitely think Nell or Nellie can work on their own.
In terms of pronunciation of Eleanor, as an Australian, I would pronounce it pretty much the same way as you (Ellen -ore) just with a shorter ‘r’ sound at the end.
Some other options using Nell as a nickname (and I definitely think you could make Helena work if you wanted to) could be:
Seranella
Finella
Nelida
Nigella
Annabel
Melanie
Angelica
Anella
If I used Nell it would be for Helen or Helena. I love the straight, tailored and sophisticated Helen, though Helena might be easier for some (including me) being “prettier”. There’s also Leonor or Cornelia.
Might be missing the Eleanor problem as I don’t think you should worry too much about how it’s pronounced elsewhere? That wouldn’t be a dealbreaker for me.
do like [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] - elegant but understated!
I shift between using ella-NOOR and ella-nuh, and have known Eleanors of both pronunciations. I guess it’s just worth considering: what is the go to pronunciation where you are? and decide if you like or dislike that?
I find [name_f]Nell[/name_f] as obvious for [name_f]Helena[/name_f] as it is for [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]? Equally for non-name-obsessed people, [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] ‘Nell’ can still be confusing so
Some considerations:
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] / [name_f]Leonor[/name_f] / [name_f]Eleanore[/name_f] / [name_f]Elinore[/name_f] → I think it would emphasise that end sound wherever you happed to be.
[name_f]Noelle[/name_f] / [name_f]Noelia[/name_f] / [name_f]Noella[/name_f] nn [name_f]Nell[/name_f]
[name_f]Eleanora[/name_f] → emphasises that NOOR sound?
Oh, is it? I thought everyone knew [name_f]Nell[/name_f] is a nickname for [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] - it’s a classic? A bit like [name_f]Nancy[/name_f] for [name_f]Anne[/name_f], [name_m]Ted[/name_m] for [name_m]Edward[/name_m] etc., but I might be wrong.
if this helps, i’m also from england and my accent is possibly similar to yours!
i’ve always said eleanor as ella-nor the same way americans would, as that’s the most intuitive pronunciation to that spelling for me! if i was looking for the more english pronunciation i’d spell the name ellena as i’d say that’s ellen-uh.
i know a little girl, she’s in my sisters class so maybe five to six years old (?) and her name is elanor, said ella-nor and people often get that right on the first try. my sister calls her nellsie sometimes so i’m guessing she’s also a nell/nellie!
[name_f]Do[/name_f] you like the [name_f]Elinor[/name_f] spelling? Seems less ambiguous and looks prettier imo (I have never cared for Eleanor’s spelling but have recently fallen for Elinor!)
If you live somewhere where the go-to pronunciation for [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] (or at least one of them) is one you strongly dislike, I’d probably avoid the name. I like the previous suggestion of [name_f]Eleanora[/name_f]!
Other ideas could be [name_f]Eleonora[/name_f], [name_f]Nephele[/name_f], [name_f]Nella[/name_f], [name_f]Aniela[/name_f], [name_f]Noelia[/name_f], Anne-Laure, [name_f]Annelie[/name_f], [name_f]Chanel[/name_f], [name_f]Antonella[/name_f], Marinella, [name_f]Prunella[/name_f], [name_f]Petronella[/name_f], [name_f]Fenella[/name_f] or [name_f]Cornelia[/name_f].
If you live in area that would pronounce [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] the way you like I wouldn’t worry too much about other places. If you do live somewhere that your prefered prn isn’t the default then it might get really annoying depending on just how much you dislike the other options. Its a lovely name, classic and elegant but also very strong and powerful. I also think [name_f]Nell[/name_f] can work as a full name, but I totally get being bothered by having a random outlier on your list that doesn’t fit with the rest, especially when trying to match potential siblings (cough my daily struggle with [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] cough). I think [name_f]Helena[/name_f] “Nell” makes just as much sense as [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] “Nell” and would be a great option.
Some other [name_f]Nell[/name_f] full names:
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f]
[name_f]Leonora[/name_f]
[name_f]Eleanora[/name_f]
[name_f]Noelle[/name_f]
[name_f]Annabelle[/name_f]
[name_f]Cornelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Hannelore[/name_f]
I do think it depends on the person, but yeah, my middle is [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] and I often use [name_f]Nell[/name_f] instead and that has confused multiple people because they don’t associate the two. Same with [name_f]Nancy[/name_f] and [name_f]Anne[/name_f] - I was explaining how it came about to some family and they wouldn’t have connected the two
One more idea, why not use a first name starting with N that you love and two middles one starting with E and one with L then her initials will spell NEL and you can call her that…
So maybe:
[name_f]Nevena[/name_f] [name_m]Emmerson[/name_m] [name_f]Lou[/name_f] nn [name_f]Nell[/name_f]
[name_m]Or[/name_m]
[name_f]Nicoletta[/name_f] [name_f]Elle[/name_f] nn [name_f]Nell[/name_f]
