Eleni

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Girl · Greek (origin unknown)

Eleni

Say it: eh-LEH-nee

Try it with your surname

Meaning

Modern Greek form of Helene; the origin is unknown, and the popular meaning 'torch' or 'light' is an unproven folk etymology.

Disputedsharp disagreement, or a popular meaning that is not supported.

Given widely through the joint feast of Saints Constantine and Helen, it is one of the most common Greek girls' names.

Its wave through time

Popular now

In the United States

5,741 babies given this name since 1946
At its height in 1993, about 1 in 9,800 girls
147 babies in 2020

Through the ages

Used by

The family of the name

Other spellings: Elena, Lena

English	Helen
Hungarian	Ilona
Romanian	Ileana

Famous bearers

Saint Helena, mother of Constantine the Great

Names worth a look

KaterinaGirlFrom Greek Aikaterine, of unknown origin; the meaning 'pure' comes from a later association with katharos and is a…Middle Ages · peak 1998

PhilippaGirlFeminine of Philip, from Greek philos 'loving' and hippos 'horse'.Middle Ages · peak 2017

DespinaGirlFrom Greek despoina 'lady, mistress', used of the Virgin Mary.Middle Ages · peak 1976

VasilikiGirlFrom Greek basilikē 'royal', the feminine of Vasilios.Middle Ages · peak 1976

ZoiGirlGreek zoe 'life'.Middle Ages

EuphemiaGirlGreek euphēmia, 'good speech, good repute'.Early Medieval · forgotten

EleanorGirlFrom Occitan Aliénor, of uncertain origin; it is often explained as alia Aenor 'the other Aenor', but this is not…Middle Ages · peak 1915

EllenGirlThe English vernacular form of Helen, from Greek Helenē, of uncertain meaning.Middle Ages · peak 1884

Where this comes from

Calendars of saints and name days
National birth statistics of European countries source
United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source

Meanings and histories are compiled from the study of names and their languages and checked by a second review.

Meanings and histories are drawn from the study of names and their languages, each with a confidence rating; popularity figures come from official birth records. Name histories are a living field: if you know of a correction, we would be glad to hear it.