Message: "Nena - Pronunciation"

[Facts] Nena - Pronunciation

by Sara Ruth

5/4/2008, 6:24 PM

How is Nena pronounced? It is listed as a variation of Nina, so is it pronounced the same or with a different first vowel?

If it is pronounced differently than Nina, can you think of any names that end with the same sound (that Nena could be a nickname for)? The ones I found on a search for *ena names all seem to be pronounced like Nina.

Thanks for your thoughts!

#pronunciation

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- Ellen (guest)

5/16/2008, 11:18 AM

I have a friend with this name. She is Croatian and pronounces it NAY-nah

- Sofia

5/6/2008, 3:11 AM

It was a popular name here (Croatia) in the 1970s and 80s. It started as a nn for Nevena, Nevenka and we pronounce it 'NEH-nah'.

- Sara Ruth

5/5/2008, 6:44 AM

Thanks all for your comments...

I heard this name in church yesterday, as the name of a little girl. It was pronounced NEH-nah as Profe Esteban says the Spanish word for 'baby girl' is pronounced. I'm not sure, but now I'm wondering if this is a nickname for this girl, perhaps from the Spanish word.

- Helena (mellon.collie)

5/5/2008, 6:33 AM

In Portuguese it could be a nickname for Filomena, Madalena or Helena (in all of which -ena is pronounced sorta like ayna). I've never seen it used, but I'd say NAY-na.

- penguiny7 +1

5/4/2008, 7:05 PM

It's normally pronounced the same as Nina. However, I could see it being pronounced NAY-na too if that's how someone wanted to pronounce it. Some names that end in -ena that would be pronounced that way (AY-na) are Elena, Helena, Magdalena, Madalena, and Malena. There are a few others I saw when I searched for *ena that I think would be pronounced that way too, but wasn't sure.

- Profe Esteban (guest)

5/5/2008, 5:51 AM

In Spanish, Nena means "baby girl", we pronounce it "NEH - nah" and it is not used as a girl name.

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