Origin, Meaning, And History Of Elena
Of Greek, Roman, and Mexican origin, the name Elena implies ‘bright,’ ‘shining,’ ‘beautiful,’ ‘torch,’ and ‘light.’ The name also has roots in Italian, Spanish, Welsh, Hawaiian, Greek, Hebrew, German, Slavic, Norwegian, and Romanian cultures. As a pan-European variant of Helen, Elena comes directly from the Greek Helene, which signifies ‘torch’ or something which illuminates. The name also has links with the Greek ‘Selene,’ which means moon. In all the cultures that form its background, the meaning of this name is almost the same.
Since Elena is quite an old name, it is not clear when it was first used. However, the word Helene, commonly associated with the mythological figure Helen of Troy, is regarded as one of the first inspirations for the name Elena to emerge. Here, she is the most beautiful woman of Greece but also the leading source of the Trojan War. Helen was worshiped and even had a festival at Therapnae in Laconia. There is also a temple for her in Rhodes, where she was venerated as the tree goddess.
There are numerous variants of Elena spanning across languages. Alena in German and Slavic, Alenka in Slovenian, Alyona in Slavic, and Elene in Georgian are the most common. Eline in Dutch and Norwegian and Ileana in Romanian and Spanish are other variants of the name.
The name Elena has also enjoyed a good presence in fiction and entertainment. Many famous singers, princesses, and even judges have this name.
Elena Gilbert in The Vampire Diaries, Elena Michaels in the Women of the Otherworld fantasy series, Elena Ramos from the soap opera Dallas, and Elena of Turks, from the role-playing video game Final Fantasy VII are noteworthy mentions. Indeed, the name seems to have endless examples in popular culture. Elena Castillo Flores is the much-loved character from the Disney animated show ‘Elena of Avalor.’ It is also the name of a Soviet scientist from Stanley Kubrick’s ‘2001: A Space Odyssey.’
How To Pronounce Elena?
Famous People With The Name Elena
- Elena Delle DonneAmerican basketball player, winner of WNBA award
- Elena KaganAmerican supreme court justice nominated by Barack Obama
- Elena GoodeAmerican actress known for her role in Elliot Loves
- Elena KountouraGreek politician, an ex-minister of Tourism
- Elena HuelvaCancer activist and influencer
- Elena SiegmanAmerican singer and founder of the band Vagiant
- Elena SatineGeorgian-American actress known for the period drama Magic City
- Elena Ferrante意大利作家那不勒斯小说而闻名
- Elena PaparizouGreek singer known for songs like My Number One
- Elena ShimkoRussian badminton player and winner of six junior titles
- Elena VotsiGreek designer
- Elena NikolaidieGreek American opera singer
- Elena PanaritisGreek economist
- Elena ZamolodchikovaRussian gymnast
- Elena KosminaUkrainian beauty queen
Elena On The Popularity Chart
From its humble beginnings in the 2000s, Elena’s popularity has been steadily increasing since 2010. This chart will make the name’s rise to fame clearer.
Popularity Over Time
The name peaked in popularity in 2021. During this year, 4252 babies per million received this name. Look at this chart to assess the name’s growth over time.
Source:Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
Since 2016, Elena has been in the top 100 girls’ names list. It has been increasingly adopted for baby girls. This chart will tell you about the name’s rank over time in detail.
Source:Social Security AdministrationNames With Similar Sound As Elena
Elena sounds melodic. But maybe you want to explore more such similar-sounding names. Find them below.
Popular Sibling Names For Elena
Other Popular Names Beginning With E
Names With Same Meaning As Elena
Do you want to give your younger one a name that means the same as Elena? The suggestions below might help.
Infographic: Know The Name’s Personality As Per Numerology
How To Communicate The Name In Other Languages
In Nautical Flags
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In Sign Language
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In Braille Alphabet
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In Morse Code
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Name Numerology For Elena
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the meaning of the name Elena?
The name Elena means greek name helen, and bright one.
2. What is the origin of the name Elena?
Elena has a Greek origin.
3. How to pronounce the name Elena?
Elena is pronounced as eh-leh-nuh.