How to pronounce Lena

Girl Names
1

I am really loving [name_f]Lena[/name_f] but my mom wasn’t sure how to pronounce it when I first sent it to her. So just curious how everyone would pronounce without any direction. I don’t want my child to have to explain their name to everyone.

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2

My first instinct is LEE-nuh but I’ve also known a LAY-nuh, so that’s my second thought. I think the first pronunciation would require less explaining at least where I live, but either is intuitive enough to me and I prefer LAY-nuh.

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3

I would assume [name_u]Lee[/name_u]-na, like [name_f]Lena[/name_f] [name_m]Dunham[/name_m].

But I’ve also heard [name_m]Lay[/name_m]-na and [name_m]Lenn[/name_m]-a. [name_f]May[/name_f] depend somewhat on where you live?

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4

There are 2 acceptable pronunciations that I know of - LEE-nah and LAY-nah. With this name I would ask how it’s pronounced first if I could, otherwise probably assume LAY-nah. [name_f]Zara[/name_f] and [name_m]Mike[/name_m] Tindall’s daughter is pronounced LAY-nah apparently. Is LAY-nah more usual in UK and Europe while LEE-nah more usual in USA?

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5

Len-uh or lay-nuh

I’m in the US

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6

I would say LAY-nah (I’m from the UK and I’ve met one [name_f]Lena[/name_f] who says it this way)

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7

I’m in the US, but Spanish speaking or bi-lingual communities will tend to say “Leh-Nah” and honestly that’s my favorite way :slight_smile:

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8

Leh-Nah

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9

My friend pronounces her name lee-nuh, so that would be my first thought.

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10

Lay-nuh is my instinctive pronunciation but [name_u]Lee[/name_u]-nuh and [name_m]Len[/name_m]-uh don’t surprise me

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11

lay-nuh - partially based on the fact that I know an [name_f]Elena[/name_f] (uh-lay-nuh), but I don’t think I’ve heard anyone say it differently IRL

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12

I’m a LAYna person. Idk why, I know it’s generally LEEna, and that makes more sense. I think I just prefer LAYna. I’m in the US.

I second the [name_f]Elena[/name_f] association. Maybe that’s why I think it’s pronounced that way.

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13

Len-nuh.

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14

Always, always “LAE-nah” in my mind. “LEE-nah” is ~acceptable~ SHDKSJD

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15

Len-uh is how I pronounce it.

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16

I honestly don’t have a way I instinctively pronounce this! How odd but I just know/know of so many people with all known pronunciations! I taught a little [name_f]Lena[/name_f] who firmly enforced ‘LEHN-ah’ on her first day but I can’t remember which way I pronounced it before that … I would say that this is probably one of those names which will just have to have the chosen pronunciation enforced upon meeting new people :woman_shrugging: :slightly_smiling_face:

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17

Lee-nuh is how I say it.

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18

I would say it [name_u]Lee[/name_u]-nuh

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19

I am naturally inclined to say leh-nah, but I have heard lay-nuh, too. (US)

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20

Leh-nah is my immediate instinct.

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