I’m curious to hear how everyone pronounces [name]Elena[/name]? We have [name]Elaina[/name] picked out for our future daughter, but I know many people pronounce [name]Elena[/name] the same way. So, is it E-LEH-nah or E-[name]LAY[/name]-nah to you?
I believe this is Spanish for “[name]Ellen[/name]”. I am Spanish and my [name]MIL[/name] is named [name]Ellen[/name], so this was an option. I believe it is pronounce “[name]Elaine[/name]-ah”
Because I grew up with an [name]Elena[/name] who pronounced her name as “ellen-uh,” that’s my go-to pronunciation (I’m programmed for it now) :-), but now that I know some Elenas who pronounce the name “el-[name]LAY[/name]-uh,” I’m getting more and more used to that pronunciation. I love both, and I think it’s a gorgeous name!
Good luck! 
Eh-lay-nah. I MUCH prefer the spelling [name]Elena[/name]. [name]Elaina[/name] looks misspelled to me. When I was in Spain there was another girl named [name]Elaina[/name] - which threw them off because to them that would be pronounced Eh-lie-ee-nah.
Also there is a show the Vampire Diaries with the main character named [name]Elena[/name]. So people will probably get used to this spelling/pronunciation.
[name]Elena[/name] = eh-lay-nah to me. I think of its default pronunciation as being Spanish.
[name]Elaina[/name] I would think is pronounced the same way if I read it somewhere, but if you live in a heavily latin community, it might come out eh-line-ah more often.
I am an [name]Elena[/name], I pronounce it [name]Ellen[/name]-uh, The other way that it has been pronounced by my greek family is ay-lay-na, but that is because of their accent so it makes sense and I don’t mind, personally I think the uh-[name]LAYNE[/name]-ah is just wrong because I have always seen my name as [name]El[/name] (L) en (N) a ([name]AH[/name]), I can’t see where the layne comes in. I do get my name mis-pronounced a lot as uh-layne-ah, most people who first meet me will pronounce my name like that. Sorry if I’ve offended anyone
- [name]Elena[/name]
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As it is of Spanish origin and the e makes an ay sound in Spanish, the pronunciation is Ay-lay-nah. However, it is commonly pronounced with more of an e sound at the beginning, in the US at least.
My friend from italy pronounces [name]Ellen[/name]-a
[name]Hi[/name]!
[name]Elena[/name] is my best friends’ mom’s name, and she says it EH-LEH-nah, so that is how I say it! Not like [name]Elaina[/name]…
[name]Lemon[/name]
Thanks everyone for your replies. I think we are going to stick with the [name]Elaina[/name] spelling. Neither of us our spanish, and I agree that in english the E-lay-nuh pronounciation doesn’t make the greatest sense.
[name]Elena[/name] is a greek name. It can be pronounced Eh-lay-na like [name]Elena[/name] from Vampire Diaries or Eh-leh-na. Listen to this site:
I say Uh-lay-nuh…that’s how the 2 [name]Elena[/name]'s I know pronounce it- one is from [name]Russia[/name] and the other one’s parents are Mexican and Dominican- that’s how they all pronounced it. I guess it’s like [name]Helena[/name]- many ways to say it!
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Eh-lay-nah
I pronounce [name]Elena[/name] like Eh-lay-na.
I think this spelling is more attractive and lovely.
I pronounce [name]Elena[/name] as [name]Elle[/name]-uh-nuh, the same way I pronounce [name]Eleanor[/name].
[name]Elaina[/name] is a prettier spelling - it’s gorgeous.
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[name]Elena[/name] is Eh-lay-na to me. The [name]Ellen[/name]-a pronunciation is pretty much the way people in my area say [name]Eleanor[/name]. I think [name]Elena[/name]'s a really pretty name.
Funnily enough, while [name]Elena[/name]'s E-lay-na not [name]Ellen[/name]-a, [name]Helena[/name] is [name]Helen[/name]-a not Hel-ay-na to me.
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I thought it was E-LEH-NAH when I first saw it. Then I was told E-[name]LAY[/name]-NAH.
However, apparently it’s not E-[name]LAY[/name]-NAH. Because it’s a Spanish, Italian, variant it is supposed to be said EH-LEH-NAH.
I’d spell it [name]Elaina[/name].
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I pronounce it L-Ay-Nah.
But I like the E-[name]Lay[/name]-Nah pronunciation too.
eh -len -ah
Hi all, I have read the comments in this discussion. I am a native Spanish speaker and I can assure you that, contrary to popular belief, there is no Ay when pronouncing Elena. The truest/most common pronunciation is Eh-leh-na. Elena is pronounced with a short e sound, Eh-leh-na. I assume that the American English pronunciation of Elena is Eee-lay-na. Name pronunciations differ depending on the region, country, and language! 