Elinore, sure, as a retcon. But it was Ella before that. And it was definitely Ellen on LOIS & CLARK--I rewatched all four seasons and did a post on that, not so long ago, where I tracked these kinds of things.
To me Elinore, Ella and Ellen are different names. My mother's name is Ellen. My father's brother's wife was named Elleanor--different names. Neither was ever called Ella. Elleanor could be shortened to Norie or Nora. I think the reason that LOIS & CLARK changed it to Ellen was because Ella sounds old fashioned.
If they wanted her to be Spanish, why not call her Elena?
Given Mort Weisinger had L.L. on the brain back when Ella was first introduced in the 1960s, maybe he thought eLLa would be a coy way of getting in his L.L. reference for the mother of the two L.L sisters.
I remember that early in the Post-Crisis reboot Lois' mother has an illness caused by working at one of Luthor's plants. Lex would provide a medicine he whipped up and eventually used this to force Lois into a relationship.
After that, I think she was just the nice parent to Sam's distant, strong-headed, Clark disliking jerk.
"Has Sariel summoned you here, Azrael? Have you come to witness the miracle of your brethren arriving on Earth?"
"I WILL MIX THE ASHES OF YOUR BONES WITH SALT AND USE THEM TO ENSURE THE EARTH THE TEMPLARS TILLED NEVER BEARS FRUIT AGAIN!"
"*sigh* I hoped it was for the miracle."
Dan Watters' Azrael was incredible, a constant delight and perhaps too good for this world (but not the Forth). For the love of St. Dumas, DC, give us more!!!