I am driving myself nuts! My third daughter is almost 10 months old and I really don’t like her name because no one can say it right. [name_f]Elina[/name_f] [name_f]Michelle[/name_f]. [name_m]How[/name_m] would you pronounce it? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you like it? Please be honest. I wish I would have named her [name_f]Mira[/name_f] or [name_f]Dalia[/name_f].
I love [name_f]Elina[/name_f]. It’s been on my list for ages. I would pronounce it “Eh-LEEN-ah” but I know it can be pronounced “EHL-in-ah” as well. [name_f]Michelle[/name_f] is a nice iambic middle name that sounds great with it.
I like [name_f]Mira[/name_f] and [name_f]Dahlia[/name_f] too, but I think you made a lovely choice. It’s approachable without being too common.
I would pronounce it [name_f]ELL[/name_f]-ee-nah Mee-shell but I’m wondering if it’s [name_f]ELL[/name_f]-en-ah. I pronounce [name_f]Michelle[/name_f] the [name_m]French[/name_m] way, especially since I live in [name_f]Canada[/name_f] and speak [name_m]French[/name_m]. I think [name_f]Elina[/name_f] [name_f]Michelle[/name_f] is a beautiful name. If you really don’t like the name itself, I think you have every right to change it. I haven’t read up on it lately but I believe in some parts of the world the baby’s name can be changed at any time during their first year without much hassle. Unless you don’t like the name [name_f]Elina[/name_f] itself, then I wouldn’t recommend changing it.
I am pronouncing it Eh-lee-na, which is gorgeous.
I’m almost scared to answer, haha. I would say it Eh-[name_u]LEE[/name_u]-Na [name_f]Michelle[/name_f]. I’ve never seen this particular name before, but I think it sounds very pretty =] and I already loved [name_f]Michelle[/name_f]. If it’s supposed to be [name_f]EL[/name_f]-[name_f]Ina[/name_f], I’m so sorry.
On a serious note, though… I’m really sorry to hear you’re feeling this way. If you tell us more about the situation if you feel comfortable, maybe some of us can offer some creative solutions.
Try not to stress yourself out so much in the meantime. It’s not good for you or your baby =[
Thanks for your replies. It is supposed to be pronounced eh-[name_f]Leena[/name_f] but most struggle with the E sound and pronounce it with an A which bothers me. Some people even have called her [name_f]Alaina[/name_f]. I did not think this name would be difficult for people to pronounce and actually made an effort to find a unique bit easy name. My husbands name is [name_u]Michael[/name_u] so we gave her michelle as a middle name because of him.
My son’s name is often pronounced by strangers with a long A and not the short a as we pronounce it. My oldest is often called [name_u]Dakota[/name_u]-even seconds after introducing her as Daytona. The name you chose is a beautiful name. [name_m]Don[/name_m]'t fret on it because it is being pronounced differently now. All her friends will get it right down the road. 
I’ve never heard the name before, but when I saw it I thought [name_f]El[/name_f]-[name_f]Ina[/name_f]. After reading the other posts, it makes sense for it to be eh-[name_u]Lee[/name_u]-na as well. I could see how you might get both. But many names are like that and I don’t think it makes a name bad per se. If this causes you major name regret to the point where you really would like to change it, change it! I feel it’s better to change a name, than live with the regret. She is only 10 months, which is a very adaptable age and she would be just fine. I think both pronunciations are pretty. I also love [name_f]Mira[/name_f].
I wouldn’t know how to pronounce it offhand and I don’t like it. Change it!
I would pronounce it eh-LEEN-ah, but like the similar [name_f]Elena[/name_f], it’s liable to be mispronounced/cause confusion a lot. If this would be an issue to you, [name_f]Mira[/name_f] or [name_f]Dalia[/name_f] would be a better choice as it has one established common pronunciation. [name_f]Dalia[/name_f] may have issues with spelling though as it is also spelled [name_f]Dahlia[/name_f], if that is also a concern.
In my accent words/names are often pronounced “lazily”, turning other vowels into “uh” sounds, e.g. [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] would become uh-[name_f]LIV[/name_f]-ee-ah instead of oh-[name_f]LIV[/name_f]-ee-ah or ol-[name_f]LIV[/name_f]-ee-ah. If this is the case for you, you may get uh-LEEN-ah rather than eh-LEEN-ah.
[name_f]Elina[/name_f] [name_f]Michelle[/name_f] is a lovely name though- if you love it you should definitely keep it! [name_f]Mira[/name_f] and [name_f]Dalia[/name_f] are very sweet too.
I’d say Eh-[name_u]Lee[/name_u]-Na without even hesitating. I’m a teacher, if that offers any consolation - future teachers will probably get her name right. [name_f]Elina[/name_f] is ADORABLE - please don’t change it! The name is beautiful, the people who can’t pronounce it are just making mistakes - and if they continue after correction they’re lazy and not worth listening to.
As someone with a name that gets mispronounced and misunderstood all of the time, I can say that my experience hasn’t be terrible or damaged me in any way. In fact, the story of how I came to have it is part of my story and I appreciate that. My name is [name_f]Jennette[/name_f]. It gets confused constantly with [name_f]Janet[/name_f] and gets misspelled as [name_f]Jeannette[/name_f] all of the time. But I love it, it’s mine, and is part of me.
My youngest is [name_m]Emrys[/name_m] (2), his nickname is [name_u]Remy[/name_u] to make it easier for those who are confused by his first name. I can’t convince my best friend that his name isn’t [name_u]Emery[/name_u]. But we love it. He knows both names and responds to both.
If you fell in love with [name_f]Elina[/name_f], keep it. It’s beautiful and different. [name_m]Don[/name_m]'t let others influence what you knew to be right from the get go.
I think [name_f]Elina[/name_f] is lovely. I would pronounce it E-lee-na.
To be honest I think your other options could easily be mispronounced too, as [name_f]Meera[/name_f]/[name_f]Myra[/name_f] or Daylia/[name_f]Dahlia[/name_f]. Personally I would stick with [name_f]Elina[/name_f].
I completely agree with AtterySquash! [name_f]Elina[/name_f] is a delightful Name filled with light and music! Please keep it!
At first glance, I pronounced it [name_f]Ellen[/name_f]-na. I could also see how it could be pronounced like [name_f]Elena[/name_f] or [name_f]El[/name_f]-lee-nuh. It’s pretty, but I don’t really think that the spelling makes it clear how to pronounce it. Granted, there are always going to be people who mispronounce names for various, legitimate reasons. I wouldn’t change it and I agree with @attery squash that the other options could easily be mispronounced as well. I think that just correcting people and having patience with others would work. I don’t think anyone means anything bad when they pronounce her name incorrectly.
I say eh-[name_u]LEE[/name_u]-nah. And please don’t change it, it’s adorable!
I would pronounce it [name_f]Elle[/name_f]-[name_m]Ah[/name_m]-na
[name_m]Don[/name_m]'t worry about how people pronounce her name- it’s so pretty it doesn’t matter! [name_m]Don[/name_m]'t stress about it, it makes her unique! [name_m]Just[/name_m] enjoy your beautiful baby girl!
[name_u]Love[/name_u] your response! Thank you
I would pronounce it Eh-leen-ah. I think it’s a lovely name.
I personally would not change her name as I think names are part of a person’s identity, even at a young age.
I would pick a nickname!
Perhaps- [name_f]Ellie[/name_f], [name_f]Elle[/name_f], [name_f]Lina[/name_f], [name_f]Emmy[/name_f], [name_u]Shelly[/name_u]. None of which are too unique, but easy to say and pronounce. I would pick [name_f]Emmy[/name_f]!