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Help[Opinions] Helena "Hel"
I know there’s been some discourse already lately around Helena, but I’m here mostly to ask about the nickname "Hel" for it. I see it as more of an occasional / endearing nickname than an introductory one. What do you think?
ETA: Out of curiosity, what is your favorite pronunciation for Helena? I prefer hehl-ehn-uh but I also like hehl-een-uh. Not particularly fond of hehl-ayn-uh myself.
ETA: Out of curiosity, what is your favorite pronunciation for Helena? I prefer hehl-ehn-uh but I also like hehl-een-uh. Not particularly fond of hehl-ayn-uh myself.
This message was edited 3/2/2022, 11:56 AM
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Replies
I don't like Helena or hel
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Never, the better short forms are Ella, Elena, Ellie, Laney, Helen, Ellen.
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Hel sounds too much like “Hell.”
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Absolutely not!
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I like Helena (said like Helen + a). Hel is a good nickname for occasional use but it would be weird to introduce yourself to a new person as Hel because it sounds like your name is "hell".
It also has the same problem as Rach (like raych) for Rachel-- it makes sense as a nickname, but sentences like "hi, my name is Rach" or "Rach said I could borrow her car" sound weird or off somehow. Other short nicknames make sense, you can easily introduce yourself as a nickname like Matt, Ben, Will, etc. or talk about people using those names and it sounds normal. But even without sounding like hell, Hel doesn't sound namey enough to be someone's official nickname. Nicknames like that only work when you're actually addressing the person.
It also has the same problem as Rach (like raych) for Rachel-- it makes sense as a nickname, but sentences like "hi, my name is Rach" or "Rach said I could borrow her car" sound weird or off somehow. Other short nicknames make sense, you can easily introduce yourself as a nickname like Matt, Ben, Will, etc. or talk about people using those names and it sounds normal. But even without sounding like hell, Hel doesn't sound namey enough to be someone's official nickname. Nicknames like that only work when you're actually addressing the person.
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I agree! That’s kind of the context I was trying to explain :)
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I don't understand for the life of me why you'd want the nickname Hel, to be honest. It sounds like "hell". Not meaning to be rude, I just don't really get the appeal at all. It's something I'd want to avoid at all costs.
Helena itself is lovely, but the Hel-part is actually what is turning me off the name. Same with Helen. I'd be worried they'd get shortened to Hel.
I like Helena best without a nickname. If I had to I would go with Lene (LEH-neh) or Leni.
I say hel-eh-na
Helena itself is lovely, but the Hel-part is actually what is turning me off the name. Same with Helen. I'd be worried they'd get shortened to Hel.
I like Helena best without a nickname. If I had to I would go with Lene (LEH-neh) or Leni.
I say hel-eh-na
This message was edited 3/2/2022, 12:45 PM
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I get the obvious hell association, but for some reason it doesn’t bother me, maybe because I’ve never been religious (though I understand that in a society as religious as it is it might be an issue to people and therefor the child). To me, it just feels like a cute shortening of a name
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Hmmm I am also not religious but "hell" is a word even non-religious people associate with something really negative and that is used when you curse. So I would really not want to say that to my daughter's face on a regular basis, it just seems kind of mean, even if you don't do it with bad intentions. She might also repeat "Hel" at school or kindergarten. Might even end up being her first word if you always call her that. Helena is pretty, I'd just leave it at that.
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Hel / Hell? No way.
Helena I usually pronunciation Helen-ah, I think a nickname is unnecessary but if one should be had it should be Lena, Hel is just in bad taste.
Helena I usually pronunciation Helen-ah, I think a nickname is unnecessary but if one should be had it should be Lena, Hel is just in bad taste.
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In English, HEL in a; in Afrikaans, heh LEEuh nah, with nn LEEuh nah.
I prefer Helen, and I've never known one with any nn, Nellie, Hel or anything else. I do know a church minister who chose to name his youngest daughter Eleanor rather than Helen because he was sure his other children would have shortened it to Hel, which he was naturally uncomfortable about!
I prefer Helen, and I've never known one with any nn, Nellie, Hel or anything else. I do know a church minister who chose to name his youngest daughter Eleanor rather than Helen because he was sure his other children would have shortened it to Hel, which he was naturally uncomfortable about!
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