I’m attempting to put together combos, and I can’t decide which [name_f]Helena[/name_f] combo I like better. For reference, my default pronunciation is [name_f]Helen[/name_f]-uh.
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Rosalinde[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Raine[/name_f]
I like the latter because it sounds more spunky and has more personality to me, but I do like the vintage, buttoned-up feel of [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Rosalinde[/name_f]. So I came to ask you berries, which do you prefer? I’ll probably keep them both stashed away, but I’d like to hear your opinions on either combo. Any middles you would suggest for [name_f]Helena[/name_f] are welcome as well!
I prefer [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Rosalinde[/name_f] by a long way. It’s beautiful!
[name_f]Raine[/name_f] feels modern and quite trendy - I’ve seen it and its variant spellings as a middle for quite a few celeb babies recently - not an especially good match for classic, refined [name_f]Helena[/name_f] in my view.
Can’t go wrong with either.
Didn’t think I would, but I actually prefer [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Raine[/name_f]. It feels very sweet and nature-y and has an appealing simplicity. [name_f]Raine[/name_f] feels quite vintage to me, probably because of [name_f]Raine[/name_f] [name_u]Spencer[/name_u].
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Rosalinde[/name_f] throws me off a bit, maybe because of the identical syllable pattern, like HEL-e-na [name_f]ROZ[/name_f]-a-lind. Flow isn’t everything though, and [name_f]Rosalinde[/name_f] is still a pretty name.
@katinka Thank you for the help! I see what you mean— [name_f]Raine[/name_f] is becoming very trendy these days. I still love the name, but unfortunately I just saw another berry with a combo similar to [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Rosalinde[/name_f], so I think I’m going back to the drawing board with both of them.
@amberdaydream Thank you! I rarely ever think about the stress on syllables when I’m putting names together, so your point is an interesting one! I am leaning slightly toward [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Raine[/name_f], but I think I’ll ponder it over a while longer.
@katinka Thank you for the help! I see what you mean— [name_f]Raine[/name_f] is becoming very trendy these days. I still love the name, but unfortunately I just saw another berry with a combo similar to [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Rosalinde[/name_f], so I think I’m going back to the drawing board with both of them.
@amberdaydream I rarely ever think about the stress on syllables when I’m putting names together, so your point is an interesting one! I am leaning slightly toward [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Raine[/name_f], but I think I’ll ponder it over a while longer.
I absolutely [name_u]Love[/name_u] [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Raine[/name_f]. Beautiful. Fresh and pretty. When in think of [name_f]Helena[/name_f] I think of the reference to the [name_f]Goddess[/name_f] (not that I believe or am into that, but just what I associated the name with… a sort of [name_f]Aphrodite[/name_f] beauty and [name_f]Raine[/name_f] just enhances it.)
I hope you haven’t decided against it! I think it is gorgeous.
A suggestion though… is a sort of made up name that I love the sound of, I kind of like [name_f]Irene[/name_f] and I [name_u]Love[/name_u] [name_u]Rain[/name_u]/e… so I meshed the two together for Iraina (eye-rey-na) quite some time back. (you can alter the spelling any which way and there are quite a few spelling variants you can put together for this one). Thought I’d throw that in.
Probably wouldn’t go well with [name_f]Helena[/name_f], but maybe you’ll like it.
I like [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Rosalind[/name_f] by far. They both are old fashioned and charming, which makes them go together really well. It flows and is so cute [name_f]IMO[/name_f]. I think [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Raine[/name_f] doesn’t work as well because you have the -aine sound in [name_f]Helena[/name_f] and [name_f]Raine[/name_f]. Also, [name_f]Raine[/name_f] is a really trendy and modern name so it doesn’t go as well with [name_f]Helena[/name_f] as [name_f]Rosalind[/name_f] does.
I love both [name_f]Helena[/name_f] and [name_f]Rosalind[/name_f], but I don’t think they flow very well- as @amberdaydream said the syllable pattern is identical, and the “elen” part of [name_f]Helena[/name_f] and “alin” part of [name_f]Rosalind[/name_f] sound almost the same so it feels a bit repetitive and singsongy. I’m not really a fan of [name_f]Raine[/name_f]. What about [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] or [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_u]Wren[/name_u]?
Now [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_u]Wren[/name_u] is very cute!
@vestigesofsummer, I think [name_f]Helene[/name_f], [name_f]Helena[/name_f] is one of the most beautiful names in the world. (Guess we just both like the name) and it’s my daughters second name.
I just did a ‘names you love but cant use’ post… and [name_f]Rosalind[/name_f] is there because our surname incorporates ‘rose.’
So there’s name taste agreement for sure.
But I can’t consider combos where name have vowel rhyme. lène-raine.
If you don’t absolutely love ‘~ [name_f]Rosalind[/name_f]’ I would go back to the drawing board. You have beautiful taste.
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Raine[/name_f] is gorgeous! I especially adore the [name_f]Raine[/name_f] spelling. It seems strong and sweet, but also very regal imo.
[name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_f]Rosalinde[/name_f] for me.
Firstly, thank you all for your opinions! They’re much appreciated!
@fifi44 Iraina is certainly an interesting invention. I actually like the similar name [name_f]Irina[/name_f], but like you mentioned, it doesn’t flow well with [name_f]Helena[/name_f]. The double -na endings sound too matchy.
@mellohorn I actually pronounce [name_f]Helena[/name_f] as [name_f]Helen[/name_f]-uh in this case, so it doesn’t rhyme with [name_f]Raine[/name_f]. I could see how that might sound a bit silly though if someone read the name differently on paper, so I’m glad you commented!
@bonfireazalea Thank you for the suggestions. I’m definitely liking [name_f]Helena[/name_f] followed by an R name for whatever reason. [name_f]Helena[/name_f] [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] is probably closer to my style, but I’m unfortunately not very fond of [name_u]Wren[/name_u] at all.
@eugénie.wilder I also love [name_f]Helene[/name_f]! It’s on my long list. We might be name twins, because I’m also liking [name_f]Sappho[/name_f] [name_f]Athena[/name_f] from your signature 
@bellerose & @luneth thank you for your input! I’m definitely not in a rush to make any decisions, so I’ll ponder it over a while longer. You’ve all been so helpful, thank you again!