What does the name Elena mean?
The different meanings of the name Elena are:
- American meaning: Light
- Greek meaning: Illumination
- Italian meaning: Illumination
- Portuguese meaning: The light of the sun
- Spanish meaning: The brilliant one
The meaning of the name “Elena” is different in several languages, countries and cultures and has more than one possibly same or different meanings available.
Additional information: Elena is a variant of the feminine Greek name Helen or Helena. The root name Helen was most likely to have come from Greek mythological roots where Helen of Troy was the daughter of the god Zeus and Leda. Elena showed up as a cognate of the name in early 12th century. Meaning for the name is taken from the same meaning as the name Helen, which means “Shining light” or “The bright one”.
Another common way to spell this name is Alena or Elaina. There are many different variations of the name Elena that are used around the world. These include Ileana, Yelena, Helene, Shelena, Alyona, Lena, Jelena, Lenka, Elaine, Ellen, Laney, Leena, Elina, or Olena, Eleni among many others. Elena also has many common nicknames including Lena, Leni, Lene, or Ellie.
This name has been popular in many English-speaking countries as well as around Europe. In 2014, it ranked in the top 100 female baby names within 15 countries: Canada, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Catalonia, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Galicia, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, and Switzerland. The countries ranking it most highly were Switzerland at the 19th most popular and Belgium at the 13th. The highest recorded ranking this name has ever enjoyed was being the 5th most popular in Spain during 2011. In the US it was the 121st most popular baby girl name in 2014, going on an upward trend.
Famous people and celebrities who share the name Elena include Elena Paparizou, a singer; Ella Delle Donne, a basketball player; Elena Satine, an actress; Elena Kagan, a US Supreme Court justice; and Elena Vesnina, a tennis player.
Categories: American Names, Argentine Names, Australian Names, Bolivian Names, Canadian Names, Chilean Names, Classic Names, Costa Rican Names, Cuban Names, Ecuadorian Names, English Names, Italian Names, Mexican Names, Peruvian Names, Russian Names, Salvadoran Names, Spanish Names
Used in: English speaking countries, Italian speaking countries, Spanish speaking countries, Swedish speaking countries
Gender: Girl Names
Origins: Greek
Starts with: E
Pronunciation: (eh LAY nah), (eh LEH nah), (yell YEH nah)
Form of: Helene
Considering Elena as a Baby Name?
The first thing you should know if you are considering Elena for your baby's name is that in most countries all over the world the name Elena is a girl name.
The name Elena is of Greek origin, and is used in more than one countries and different languages of the world, especially English speaking countries, Italian speaking countries, Spanish speaking countries, Swedish speaking countries among others.
If you consider naming your baby Elena we recommend you take note of the special meaning and history of the name as your baby’s name will play a big role in its life and your baby will hear it spoken every day. Searching for a name is a very important and fun process as it’s the very first gift you will give to your baby. Many people believe that the name can affect success in life, through their children's working career and other circumstances, so they choose more “respectable” names or name meanings as they believe that the name meaning reflects the personality of the child.
Elena Name Meaning
The meaning of Elena has more than one different etymologies. It has same or different meanings in other countries and languages. The different meanings of the name Elena are:
- American meaning: Light
- Greek meaning: Illumination
- Italian meaning: Illumination
- Portuguese meaning: The light of the sun
- Spanish meaning: The brilliant one
Keep in mind that many names may have different meanings in other countries and languages, so be careful that the name that you choose doesn’t mean something bad or unpleasant. Search comprehensively and find the name meaning of Elena and its name origin or of any other name in our database. Also note the spelling and the pronunciation of the name Elena and check the initials of the name with your last name to discover how it looks and sounds. The history and meaning of the name Elena is fascinating, learn more about it. (If you know more meanings of the name and you would like to contribute click here to submit another name meaning).
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Name Elena Categories
The name Elena is in the following categories: American Names, Argentine Names, Australian Names, Bolivian Names, Canadian Names, Chilean Names, Classic Names, Costa Rican Names, Cuban Names, Ecuadorian Names, English Names, Italian Names, Mexican Names, Peruvian Names, Russian Names, Salvadoran Names, Spanish Names. (If you would like to suggest one or more categories for the name, click here). We have plenty of different baby name categories to search for special meanings plus popular and unique names, search our database before choosing but also note that baby name categories designed to help you and not to be an influential factor when choosing a name. Instead, we recommend that you pay a greater attention to the origin and meaning of the name Elena. Read our baby name articles for useful tips regarding baby names and naming your baby. If you are thinking of giving your baby the beautiful name Elena, spread the love and share this with your friends.
Popularity of the Name Elena
Below you will find the popularity of the baby name Elena displayed annually, from 1880 to the present day in our name popularity chart. Hover over or click on the dots that represent a year to see how many babies were given the name for that year, for both genders, if available.
Elena Boy Name Popularity Chart
Elena Girl Name Popularity Chart
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Note: The data above is from the Social Security Administrator of United States, (more info here) from Social Security card applications for births in US for every name, from 1880 up to the present year. The gender associated with the name might be incorrect, as the data presents the record applications without being edited for errors. The name's popularity and ranking is announced annually, so the data for this year will not be available until next year. The more babies that are given a name, the higher popularity ranking the name receives. For names with the same popularity, the tie is solved by assigning popularity rank in alphabetical order. This means that if two or more names have the same popularity their rankings may differ significantly, as they are set in alphabetical order. If a name has less than five occurrences, the SSA excludes it from the provided data to protect privacy.
Songs and Videos about the name Elena:
Songs that feature the name Elena in their lyrics include I Did You Wrong by MIMS, Maria Elena by Michael Buble, What’s it Gonna Be by Ratt, Elena by Bacilos, and Don’t Ever Dance with Maria by Brave Combo.
If you’re not sure yet, see our wide selection of both boy names and girl names all over the world to find the ideal name for your new born baby. We offer a comprehensive and meaningful list of popular names and cool names along with the name's origin, meaning, pronunciation, popularity and additional information.
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Do your research and choose a name wisely, kindly and selflessly.
Our research is continuous so that we can deliver a high quality service; our lists are reviewed by our name experts regularly but if you think the information on this page is incorrect or incomplete, please let us know. Use our contact form to submit your suggestions, or leave your comment below.
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