See the results of this poll: How would you pronounce LENA?
Respondents: 106 (This poll is closed)
- LEH-Nuh (LAY-Nuh): 22 (21%)
- LEE-Nuh: 72 (68%)
- LEN-uh: 12 (11%)
I’m not sure if my option was on there, but I’d say “[name]LAY[/name]-nuh,” as in one way of pronouncing [name]Helena[/name].
Excellent way to gauge most common pronunciation (or mispronunciation). In the U.S., I think most people will pronounce it lee-nuh and if you favor a different pronunciation you’ll have to correct them.
I voted for [name]Lee[/name]-nuh, because that is definitely how I would pronounce the name if [name]Lena[/name] were the full name, but I did want to add one caveat: if [name]Lena[/name] were a nicknname for a longer name in which the lena part of the name were pronounced differently, I would pronounce the nickname the same way I pronounce lena in the name (e.g. if [name]Lena[/name] were a nickname for [name]Magdalena[/name], which I pronounce mag-da-lay-nuh, then I would pronounce the nickname [name]Lena[/name] as lay-nuh as well).
I read it LEH-[name]Nuh[/name] but I think it will most commonly be said as “[name]Lee[/name]-nah.” That said, I think its just a matter of teaching the child their “correct” name and people will pick up on it. She may have to correct when she meets someone for the first time, etc., but after that I don’t see why they would have a problem with whatever pronounciation she/you prefers.
I chose [name]Lena[/name]. I had no idea [name]Lena[/name] could be pronounced [name]LAY[/name]-nuh, but I think it’s prettier that way.
I chose [name]Lay[/name]-nuh, because that’s they way I prefer it, but most people I know say [name]Lee[/name]-nuh.
I know a little [name]Lena[/name] (pronounced [name]Lee[/name]-na), but have also heard [name]Lay[/name]-na. Because of the singer [name]Lena[/name] Horne, I think that most will pronounce it [name]Lee[/name]-na.
Best wishes to you! 
One of my favorites! I pronounce it [name]Lee[/name]-nuh.
I had an Aunt [name]Lena[/name] pronounced [name]Lee[/name]-[name]Nuh[/name], and its a pretty common name (or was) in the Southern U.S. pronounced this way. I would never even think to pronounce it any other way (but can’t speak for the rest of the country!). As for pronouncing [name]Helena[/name] - Hel-lay-nuh, that’s a surprise to me too - its a city in my state, and we pronounce it Hel-uh-na. Hel-lay-nuh is pretty though and may make this name more appealing to me - I’ve probably been misprouncing it all this time (as it relates to name as opposed to the town).
I have a cat named [name]Galena[/name] and I say it [name]LEE[/name]-[name]NUH[/name].
I voted for [name]Lee[/name]-nuh.
[name]LEE[/name]-nuh. I have friends from Minnesota where [name]Lena[/name] apparently used to be a very common name for Scandinavian immigrants, and this is how they say it (at least in current usage.) There are a lot of “[name]Lena[/name] and [name]Olie[/name]” jokes. There was also a cartoon that some older people told me about called “[name]Lena[/name] the Hyena.” I just Googled it–it came out in 1946 and [name]Lena[/name] was the “world’s ugliest woman.” I always thought [name]Lena[/name] was a really pretty name but, due to these associations, some people in the Midwest really don’t care for it…and some people old enough to associate it with the cartoon really dislike it.
I voted lee-nah but I agree with pp that it would depend on if that were the full name or short for something where the lena was pronounced lay-nuh. I prefer the lay-nuh pronunciation but I don’t think it’s the most common in the US.
I say [name]LAY[/name]-na, because where I live most of the girls named this are of Hispanic decent and it would be pronounced [name]Lay[/name]-na, in Spanish. I think that if I saw it somewhere else I might think [name]Lee[/name]-na, but I definitely would first say [name]Lay[/name]-na.
I’d pronounce it LEAN-UH. [name]Lee[/name]- nah?
My cousins name is [name]Lenna[/name] which is similar but pronounced differently.
I like it.
I would pronounce it lay-Nah not sure if that’s on there
Um, this thread is nine years old. I’m sure OP has long since decided on this. 
I definitely would pronounce this [name_m]Lay[/name_m]-na. To me, [name_u]Lee[/name_u]-na is [name_f]Leena[/name_f].
I would probably pronounce it [name_u]LEE[/name_u]-nah the first time I saw it, but I think [name_m]LAY[/name_m]-nah is also pretty intuitive. If the pronunciation you’re going for is [name_m]LEN[/name_m]-ah, then I think you’re going to end up having to correct people a lot