Do you think she'd constantly get called Ellen? The name has grown on me, and it gets bonus points for having family roots.
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I
the name Helen! It is one of my absolute favorites. To answer your question, I think she will occasionally get it, but that's the peril of a lot of names. I liken it to Laura/Lauren or Carolyn/Caroline.
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I agree- it will probably happen occasionally but no more than any name with similar sounding names (Kristen Kristine, Clara Claire, etc). It's nice that everyone knows the name but you don't hear it that often.
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@Foodnerd81: hahahaha your examples are so much better than mine.... I obviously need coffee.
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Nope. Helen is a TOTALLY different name than Ellen. While in a crowded room or when someone is not paying attention, they may hear Ellen, for the most part, Helen will be an obvious name. It's lovely, I hope you use it!
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I really like it! I don't think it will be confused with other names other than like what people said above.
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@LBee: I quite like your example name selections
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I don't think it ever occurred to me to mix up Helen and Ellen!
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Love Helen
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I like Helen and it is totally different from Ellen.
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I don't think they'd get mixed up! Maybe Helen and Helene, but Helene is much more rare of a name
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I really like it and don't think it would be confused.
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I don't think it will get mixed up at all. I love that name!
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Totally different names. But they could still be confused but no more than Ellen would get confused for Helen.
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Absolutely yes, happens all the time. But not a big deal (as someone who has the opposite issue).
ETA: I'm laughing so hard at all the people who are like "it'll never happen." It will happen. I have one of these names and it is mistaken for the other constantly when I introduce myself, whether in person, on the phone, in a crowded room etc. But it shouldn't dissuade you. Helen is a lovely name.
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It might get confused. My name is Erin, and people always hear Sharon or Anne.
ETA: My sister (Callie) always has to correct people on pronunciation and spelling. But she LOVES her name.
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No, should be fine. Helen (or Helena) is definitely on our short list of girls' names.
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@LBee: you listed one of my names.
Thanks for the input, everyone, and the encouragement! Now to get DH on board.....
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I think it would be rare for people to mix up Helen and Ellen, just because it's the first sound and it's a hard H sound.
Also, Helen was totally on our short list for girls! I know a little girl that is a Helen and I think it's a great name! Makes me think of Helen of Troy!
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I actually work with a Helen and an Ellen, and they hardly ever get mixed. Love it!
As a little twist, you could go with Helena.
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Why would she be called Ellen?
That's my SIL's name and I have never called her Ellen in the 20 plus years I've known her. -
nope. maybe at starbucks?
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I like it
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I absolutely LOVE the name Helen (it was one of my top choices, but hubs vetoed it). She may get called Ellen, but people mishear names all the time. DD is Anna and people are constantly calling her Annie or Ah-nna (doesn't help that she has red hair so it's assumed that I named her after the little orphan or the Disney princess).
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I mean, people will always mess up names, I don't think there's a name that people don't mispell, hear differently, etc.
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My mom is Helen, one of my grandmothers was named Helen, I have a great-aunt and several cousins named Helen and my step-niece is a Helen. YES, people mistake "Helen" for "Ellen" all the time (not close friends/family obviously, but if you're talking about customer service and what not, yeah it happens to my mom all the time) - but people do that with so many names. My name is a name with a female version and a male version (like Michael/Michelle, except closer) and I am called the wrong (male) name ALL THE TIME. It's okay though, use the name you love. No matter what, people will hear what they want, spell things the way they want, etc.
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I LOVE that name! I have a friend and an aunt named Helen, and I don't think they have an issue. I think of them as completely different, like some other folks have said.
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I think they're quite different. I love it and it's a family middle name for us so we used it as my daughter's middle name.
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Beautiful, classic name
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I know a little girl named Helen and it's such a beautiful name.
I can tell you that people constantly mishear my own name and it's not that bad. People just don't pay attention.
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People mishear every name. My DH has one of the most common names of our generation, and people mishear his name all the time.
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@Happygal: There's a 25% chance I get called Hannah by say a barista. I make it a point to articulate Anna, but I still get Hannah a ton anyhow.
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Helen is one of the most common Greek girl's names (Eleni - celebrated yesterday May 21st), and there are many variations that people use - I've never heard a Helen called anything but Helen (or Eleni!). Helen, Eleni, Ellen, Elena, Helena, Leni, Ellie, Nelly.
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I could see how it might happen but my BFF is Helen and she said it rarely happens. My other friend is Morgan and gets called Megan all the time, which I don't understand at all!
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It's my middle name, and whenever it comes up, no one seems to mishear it. It would be more common if you are around a language where people drop the H at the beginning of words - like in French, hotel is pronounced oh-tel, and Helen would become Ellen. But aside from that, probably not. It's interesting to hear that the name is making a resurgence. It's was my grandmother's name, but I don't know any people my age or younger.
the name Helen! It is one of my absolute favorites. 
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34 comments