Ilena

Ilena is a female first name that is regarded as a simplified form of Ileana, a Romanian variant of the name Helena or Helene.

What does the name Ilena mean?

Ilena is considered a simplified version of Ileana and is a Romanian derivative of Helena or Helene. The name carries meanings such as 'the Radiant', 'the Shining', 'the Bright', 'the Sunny', 'the Beautiful', 'the Torch', and 'the Moon'. The origin of the name lies in Ancient Greek and is derived from one of the three Greek words: helénē (ἑλένη), which means 'the Torch', 'the Light', and 'the Shine'; hēlios (ἥλιος) for 'the Sun', 'the Sunlight', and 'the Sunrays'; or selēnē (σελήνη) for 'the Moon'. Since the 1980s, the first name has increasingly been used in German naming. Other variants include Jelena, Yelena, Yalena, Ilona, Illona, Ilon, Ylona, Illeana, Ylenia, Ilenia, Yelene, Jelene, Yellena, Jelenka, Jelka, Ilenka, Ylenka, Alenka, Olena, Olenna, Olenka, Jelin, Jelina, Ilonka, Ilka, Ilca, and Iluska. The name gained fame through Greek mythology, where Helena is considered the daughter of Zeus and Leda and is regarded as the most beautiful woman in the world. Additionally, Helena may also have an original connection to Helios, the Greek sun god.

Where does the name Ilena come from?

The name Ilena has its roots in Ancient Greek and means 'the Shining' or 'the Sunny'. The components of the word come from Ancient Greek: helénē means 'the Torch', 'the Light', and 'the Shine'; hēlios stands for 'the Sun', 'the Sunlight', and 'the Sunrays'; and selēnē means 'the Moon'. The name is used in various languages, including Aragonese, Portuguese, and Romanian.

How do you pronounce Ilena?

The pronunciation of Ilena is three syllables and is rendered as 'I-le-na' [iˈleːna]. The bright initial sound 'i' gives the name a certain lightness, while the long 'e' in the middle syllable creates brightness. The open ending on -a provides a gentle conclusion. Thus, Ilena sounds melodic, flowing, and harmonious.

When is the name day of Ilena?

Ilena celebrates her name day on April 26, May 21, August 18, October 29, and November 15.

Popularity

In Germany, Ilena is a rather rare first name. Currently, it ranks 5,884th on the list of the most common female baby names. Its best ranking was achieved in 2010 at 1,573rd place. In the last ten years, the name has been given about 70 times as a first name, placing it 3,061st in the ten-year statistics. Between 2010 and 2024, Ilena ranks 3,275th.

Nicknames & pet names

Ila / Ile / Ilenica / Ilensch / Ilenski / Ili / Ille / Illi / Illy / Lena / Leny

Similar first names

Famous people

• Ilena Gwisdalla (German actress)