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Pronunciation Problem


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#1 wigi08

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Posted 23 April 2008 - 09:57 AM

My husband and I have two top girl name choices:

Alora Grace (or Elora Grace)
Helena Hazel

Do you think these names will get mispronounced? The first one should be pronounced uh-LAUR-uh, and the second one should be pronounced hel-AY-na (NOT HEL-uh-na).

Also, for the first choice, which spelling seems more logical - Alora or Elora?

Thanks!!

#2 scarlet520

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Posted 23 April 2008 - 10:42 AM

I would automatically pronounce Helena as HEL-uh-na, and I think most people will. If you want the pronunciation hel-AY-na, then I'd suggest Helaina.
I prefer Alora over Elora, but either is very pretty.

#3 Jennifer

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Posted 23 April 2008 - 11:11 AM

Alora Grace I pronounced correctly and I think most people would.

Helena Hazel I mispronounced. I think most people would say Hel Uh na.

Alora Grace is very pretty.

#4 Adriana

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Posted 23 April 2008 - 11:19 AM

I also pronounced Alora Grace correctly, and I think it's a lovely name for a little girl! As for Helena, I think it just depends on the person. It's kind of a traditional name in our family and we usually pronounce it as Hel-AY-na, but we seem to be in the minority. I think either version is beautiful, but if you really want the "ay" sound and for people to always know which way to pronounce it, I think Helaina or Helayna would be best.

#5 Melissa

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Posted 23 April 2008 - 01:40 PM

Alora Grace I pronounced correctly and I think most people would.

Helena Hazel I mispronounced. I think most people would say Hel Uh na.


Ditto, and Alora Hazel is pretty, too.

#6 Kate

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Posted 23 April 2008 - 04:11 PM

I pronounced Alora Grace correctly, but I say Helena (my oldest's name :)) as HEL-en-a, so I got that wrong. I think you could correct people on the pronounciation and get them to say it hel-AY-na, or you could change the spelling to Helaina or drop the h and go with Elena (Spanish form, I'd pronounce it as eh-LAY-na). Or you could use an accent and make it Heléna, which at least in French would give you the pronounciation you want; the problem with this is that accents don't show up on a lot of computers (especially those that deal with health services and services of the like).

#7 Onceuponatime

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Posted 06 September 2008 - 11:14 PM

Helena in my opinion is pronounced Hel-AY-na and I like Alora

#8 rhaego

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Posted 06 September 2008 - 11:29 PM

I pronounced both correctly at first glance. They're both beautiful names! If you really love Helena, you could always tell people how to pronounce it correctly and I'm sure they'd remember. I do prefer Alora Grace, though. Unique, classy, beautiful. :]

#9 Smile

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Posted 07 September 2008 - 11:53 AM

WHenever I just look at HElena and pronounce it, I personally always say Helaynuh. I also would say Uhlora with the Alora spelling as well. I could see more of a problem with Helena, but I think it would not be a huge setback.

#10 Hannah

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    AND, I of course love thinking of baby names even though that is a VERY far in the future thing for me because I'm still young!

Posted 10 September 2008 - 06:39 PM

I have a friend named Alora Joyce, she's gorgeous and extremely nice and I love the name just because of her! (Elora would cause many problems.) Now unlike the others, I pronounced Helena right, because I grew up pronouncing it that because I took my best guess, no one had told me it could be pronounced Hel-EN-uh, I've always said He-LAY-na, but I belive it would cause problems if not spelled differently.

Good luck, I love both names.

#11 Katie-Nana

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Posted 16 September 2008 - 02:25 PM

I would have pronounced Helena the 'wrong' way but Alora/Elora I can only think of the one way to pronounce it.
I don' t think that the spelling of Alora/Elora would make much of a difference on pronounciation but I prefer Elora becasue I think its prettier and more feminine.

#12 Jellybean

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Posted 25 September 2008 - 04:33 PM

Helena will really get misptonounced,but I agree with everyone else about Alora/Elora.
I do prefer Alora,though

#13 katie.

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Posted 27 September 2008 - 01:19 AM

I wouldpronounce Helena as Hel-en-a, not He-lay-na. I prefer the spelling of Alora.




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