Pronunciation and Spelling help

[yianna]

We have a running 'A' name theme with our kids:

Alexander
Andrew
Adrianna  (last syllables are AH.NA)

We've picked a first name for this baby girl due in April but I'm having a hard time with spelling it so that people can say it.  Although I don't think it's complicated.


How would you say:

Alina
Aleena
Alena

We are going for a short A with the first A, then a long E in the middle, if that helps.  That being said - if they all work for this pronunciation, which spelling do you prefer?


Middle will be a form of Joanna, so either Joanna, or Ioanna (Greek form, the I is a long E sound, so E.OO.AH.NA) or Gianna (Italian form).  Our last name is very italian (ends in 'TO).

Thanks for your help!

[sweetc129]

I would pronounce them all the same Ah-Lee-Na, and I think that is what you were looking for. If I was picking based on my personal preference I like Alena.

[daisy818]

Nov 6, 2017 14:44:31 GMT -6 sweetc129 said:

I would pronounce them all the same Ah-Lee-Na, and I think that is what you were looking for. If I was picking based on my personal preference I like Alena.

+1 to all of this.

[oliversbear]

Absent any instruction, I'd pronounce them:

Alina -- Uh-lean-uh
Aleena -- Uh- lean-uh
Alena -- Uh-lay-nuh

I'd go with the Alina spelling for the pronunciation you want. I think Aleena is going to be misspelled and unnecessarily complicates the name.

While I love Joanna as a name, I wouldn't use it with Alina as a first name, especially if you are going to use a vowel sound as the first syllable. The flow is clunky and there is a lot of re-arrangement of your mouth for saying both names together. My preference for a first name with Joanna would be Agnes, Alice, or Anne.

[snowmoon]

I would pronounce them all A-leen-a unless I was told otherwise. Fwiw, I know two who both use the Alina spelling with that pronunciation.

[charlotte]

I think Alena will be mispronounced a lot. I actually find myself preferring Aleena over Alina, though I don’t know which one is the “right” answer.

[Lormor]

My first choice of spelling is Alina. I think it’s very pretty.
I love the flow of Alina Joanna Arigato. (Made up last name)

[danascullyx]

Definitely Alina.

[joy]

Alina.

[sunshiney]

I think "Alena" is ambiguous and while my first assumption would be to pronounce it Uh-lee-nuh, I might wonder if it's supposed to be Uh-lay-nuh. I also think it's the prettiest spelling.

Aleena doesn't look very pretty to me.

That leaves Alina. However, if it were me I would still consider using Alena and just deal with any mispronouncers as they came.

[yianna]

Nov 7, 2017 7:20:17 GMT -6 sunshiney said:

I think "Alena" is ambiguous and while my first assumption would be to pronounce it Uh-lee-nuh, I might wonder if it's supposed to be Uh-lay-nuh. I also think it's the prettiest spelling.

Aleena doesn't look very pretty to me.

That leaves Alina. However, if it were me I would still consider using Alena and just deal with any mispronouncers as they came.

I really prefer the Alena spelling. I think I need to write it out a few times and see which looks best!

[otters]

I'd try Alena as uh-lay-nah first, the same way I'd pronounce Elena. Alina and Aleena would both be uh-lean-ah to me, but I strongly prefer Alina.

[wineallthetime]

Alina for sure. I think Alina Joanna is really pretty.