Girl nameCurrently #45 in the USRising
Elena
eh-LAY-nuh//ɛˈleɪnə//
3 syllablesPeak year: 20245 lettersStarts with E
Meaning & origin
Shining light
Elena is the Italian, Spanish, and Eastern European form of Helen, from a Greek root often linked to light or torch. Widely used across many languages, it has grown steadily popular in English-speaking countries for its smooth, international sound.
Elena's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Elena |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 8 |
| 1881 | 5 |
| 1884 | 10 |
| 1885 | 7 |
| 1886 | 11 |
| 1887 | 7 |
| 1888 | 15 |
| 1889 | 11 |
| 1890 | 11 |
| 1891 | 17 |
| 1892 | 15 |
| 1893 | 17 |
| 1894 | 27 |
| 1895 | 25 |
| 1896 | 25 |
| 1897 | 18 |
| 1898 | 22 |
| 1899 | 23 |
| 1900 | 23 |
| 1901 | 29 |
| 1902 | 37 |
| 1903 | 23 |
| 1904 | 40 |
| 1905 | 34 |
| 1906 | 40 |
| 1907 | 43 |
| 1908 | 57 |
| 1909 | 50 |
| 1910 | 65 |
| 1911 | 84 |
| 1912 | 83 |
| 1913 | 116 |
| 1914 | 132 |
| 1915 | 164 |
| 1916 | 166 |
| 1917 | 162 |
| 1918 | 188 |
| 1919 | 175 |
| 1920 | 178 |
| 1921 | 211 |
| 1922 | 205 |
| 1923 | 211 |
| 1924 | 213 |
| 1925 | 213 |
| 1926 | 232 |
| 1927 | 242 |
| 1928 | 250 |
| 1929 | 214 |
| 1930 | 219 |
| 1931 | 176 |
| 1932 | 200 |
| 1933 | 178 |
| 1934 | 164 |
| 1935 | 130 |
| 1936 | 150 |
| 1937 | 148 |
| 1938 | 153 |
| 1939 | 127 |
| 1940 | 135 |
| 1941 | 198 |
| 1942 | 205 |
| 1943 | 225 |
| 1944 | 223 |
| 1945 | 216 |
| 1946 | 242 |
| 1947 | 256 |
| 1948 | 281 |
| 1949 | 266 |
| 1950 | 259 |
| 1951 | 267 |
| 1952 | 277 |
| 1953 | 314 |
| 1954 | 338 |
| 1955 | 407 |
| 1956 | 348 |
| 1957 | 404 |
| 1958 | 440 |
| 1959 | 398 |
| 1960 | 431 |
| 1961 | 400 |
| 1962 | 421 |
| 1963 | 484 |
| 1964 | 507 |
| 1965 | 455 |
| 1966 | 529 |
| 1967 | 519 |
| 1968 | 475 |
| 1969 | 522 |
| 1970 | 509 |
| 1971 | 522 |
| 1972 | 492 |
| 1973 | 432 |
| 1974 | 546 |
| 1975 | 521 |
| 1976 | 530 |
| 1977 | 539 |
| 1978 | 574 |
| 1979 | 629 |
| 1980 | 633 |
| 1981 | 661 |
| 1982 | 622 |
| 1983 | 563 |
| 1984 | 542 |
| 1985 | 730 |
| 1986 | 645 |
| 1987 | 594 |
| 1988 | 618 |
| 1989 | 734 |
| 1990 | 762 |
| 1991 | 742 |
| 1992 | 791 |
| 1993 | 824 |
| 1994 | 928 |
| 1995 | 947 |
| 1996 | 947 |
| 1997 | 971 |
| 1998 | 1,138 |
| 1999 | 1,468 |
| 2000 | 1,366 |
| 2001 | 1,392 |
| 2002 | 1,358 |
| 2003 | 1,464 |
| 2004 | 1,591 |
| 2005 | 1,610 |
| 2006 | 1,875 |
| 2007 | 1,744 |
| 2008 | 1,627 |
| 2009 | 1,685 |
| 2010 | 1,886 |
| 2011 | 1,939 |
| 2012 | 2,274 |
| 2013 | 2,393 |
| 2014 | 2,616 |
| 2015 | 2,898 |
| 2016 | 3,187 |
| 2017 | 3,886 |
| 2018 | 3,776 |
| 2019 | 3,948 |
| 2020 | 3,926 |
| 2021 | 4,279 |
| 2022 | 4,289 |
| 2023 | 4,276 |
| 2024 | 4,567 |
Elena through the decades
- Elena peaked in 2024, when 4,567 babies were named Elena in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Elena has risen 99% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Elena currently ranks #45 in the US and is on the rise.
Nicknames
EllieLena
Variants & spellings
HelenaElanaIleana
Famous people named Elena
- Elena Kagan — US Supreme Court justice