Fun Facts About the Name Elena
- Gaining ground: Elena remained in the U.S. top 100 for 10 consecutive years, from 2016 through 2025. In 2025, it gained 3 ranking positions compared with the previous year.
- More than 108 thousand babies named Elena: U.S. records list 108,089 babies given the name Elena from 1880 through 2025. Even 104 boys received the name Elena - about 1 boy for every 1,038 girls.
What Does the Name Elena Mean?
Elena is a form of Helen, more directly of Latin Helena, which comes from Greek Ἑλένη (Helenē). The ancient Greek word ἑλένη (helenē) meant "torch," and from that the name has traditionally been interpreted as "shining light." The exact etymology is not certain. Some scholars treat Helenē as a pre-Greek name with no clear Greek meaning, while others have connected it with σέλας (selas, "light") or σελήνη (selēnē, "moon"). The "shining light" explanation is therefore a customary interpretation rather than a securely established literal translation.
Elena Name History & Origins
Elena comes from Latin Helena, which in turn comes from Greek Ἑλένη (Helenē). The Greek name is familiar from Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, where Helen is the wife of Menelaus and the woman whose departure for Troy leads to war. That literary figure is not the earliest attested use of the name, but it is its most famous ancient association. In the Roman world the Latin form Helena was used, and it was borne by Saint Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great. She is traditionally credited with finding the True Cross in Jerusalem, and the name was used in Christian Europe in her honor.
From Latin Helena, the name passed into the Romance languages as Elena in Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, and as Hélène in French. In Romanian, Elena and Ileana are used. In Slavic and Orthodox countries, the usual forms include Елена (Elena) in Bulgarian, Yelena (Елена) in Russian, and Olena (Олена) in Ukrainian. English uses Helen, while Elena entered English as a Romance or learned form. Modern Greek uses Ελένη (Eleni).
How Popular is the Name Elena?
Elena recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2025. Elena entered the top 100 U.S. girl names in 2016.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #42 | 4,836 | 0.3009% |
| 2024 | #45 | 4,567 | 0.2831% |
| 2023 | #47 | 4,276 | 0.2668% |
| 2022 | #49 | 4,289 | 0.2617% |
| 2021 | #53 | 4,279 | 0.2610% |
| 2020 | #55 | 3,926 | 0.2430% |
| 2019 | #60 | 3,948 | 0.2353% |
| 2018 | #67 | 3,776 | 0.2221% |
| 2017 | #68 | 3,881 | 0.2249% |
| 2016 | #94 | 3,187 | 0.1799% |
| 2015 | #106 | 2,898 | 0.1624% |
| 2014 | #121 | 2,616 | 0.1465% |
| 2013 | #132 | 2,393 | 0.1364% |
| 2012 | #139 | 2,274 | 0.1292% |
| 2011 | #160 | 1,939 | 0.1102% |
| 2010 | #164 | 1,886 | 0.1061% |
| 2009 | #195 | 1,685 | 0.0917% |
| 2008 | #209 | 1,627 | 0.0861% |
| 2007 | #192 | 1,744 | 0.0907% |
| 2006 | #187 | 1,875 | 0.0986% |
| 2005 | #217 | 1,604 | 0.0868% |
| 2004 | #215 | 1,584 | 0.0863% |
| 2003 | #222 | 1,464 | 0.0801% |
| 2002 | #233 | 1,358 | 0.0756% |
| 2001 | #228 | 1,392 | 0.0773% |
| 2000 | #234 | 1,366 | 0.0752% |
| 1999 | #212 | 1,468 | 0.0828% |
| 1998 | #273 | 1,138 | 0.0644% |
| 1997 | #295 | 971 | 0.0558% |
| 1996 | #301 | 947 | 0.0540% |
| 1995 | #293 | 947 | 0.0539% |
| 1994 | #297 | 921 | 0.0516% |
| 1993 | #322 | 819 | 0.0453% |
| 1992 | #337 | 791 | 0.0429% |
| 1991 | #348 | 742 | 0.0396% |
| 1990 | #352 | 757 | 0.0399% |
| 1989 | #355 | 722 | 0.0392% |
| 1988 | #394 | 611 | 0.0343% |
| 1987 | #389 | 594 | 0.0342% |
| 1986 | #367 | 639 | 0.0372% |
| 1985 | #329 | 723 | 0.0420% |
| 1984 | #398 | 542 | 0.0322% |
| 1983 | #391 | 563 | 0.0337% |
| 1982 | #373 | 616 | 0.0364% |
| 1981 | #357 | 656 | 0.0393% |
| 1980 | #370 | 633 | 0.0381% |
| 1979 | #359 | 629 | 0.0392% |
| 1978 | #371 | 574 | 0.0375% |
| 1977 | #389 | 539 | 0.0352% |
| 1976 | #387 | 530 | 0.0362% |
| 1975 | #389 | 521 | 0.0357% |
| 1974 | #382 | 546 | 0.0372% |
| 1973 | #440 | 432 | 0.0296% |
| 1972 | #405 | 486 | 0.0319% |
| 1971 | #412 | 515 | 0.0310% |
| 1970 | #433 | 509 | 0.0291% |
| 1969 | #424 | 522 | 0.0309% |
| 1968 | #436 | 475 | 0.0290% |
| 1967 | #402 | 519 | 0.0314% |
| 1966 | #399 | 529 | 0.0313% |
| 1965 | #443 | 455 | 0.0258% |
| 1964 | #434 | 507 | 0.0268% |
| 1963 | #440 | 484 | 0.0251% |
| 1962 | #469 | 421 | 0.0214% |
| 1961 | #486 | 400 | 0.0198% |
| 1960 | #469 | 431 | 0.0213% |
| 1959 | #485 | 398 | 0.0197% |
| 1958 | #455 | 440 | 0.0219% |
| 1957 | #471 | 404 | 0.0198% |
| 1956 | #502 | 348 | 0.0173% |
| 1955 | #445 | 407 | 0.0208% |
| 1954 | #483 | 338 | 0.0174% |
| 1953 | #490 | 314 | 0.0167% |
| 1952 | #506 | 277 | 0.0149% |
| 1951 | #504 | 267 | 0.0148% |
| 1950 | #501 | 259 | 0.0151% |
| 1949 | #497 | 266 | 0.0155% |
| 1948 | #478 | 281 | 0.0165% |
| 1947 | #517 | 256 | 0.0144% |
| 1946 | #501 | 242 | 0.0154% |
| 1945 | #494 | 216 | 0.0165% |
| 1944 | #479 | 223 | 0.0168% |
| 1943 | #497 | 225 | 0.0161% |
| 1942 | #519 | 205 | 0.0152% |
| 1941 | #494 | 198 | 0.0164% |
| 1940 | #599 | 135 | 0.0118% |
| 1939 | #594 | 127 | 0.0116% |
| 1938 | #551 | 153 | 0.0139% |
| 1937 | #552 | 148 | 0.0139% |
| 1936 | #531 | 150 | 0.0144% |
| 1935 | #561 | 130 | 0.0124% |
| 1934 | #503 | 164 | 0.0157% |
| 1933 | #479 | 178 | 0.0177% |
| 1932 | #475 | 193 | 0.0181% |
| 1931 | #486 | 176 | 0.0165% |
| 1930 | #456 | 219 | 0.0195% |
| 1929 | #450 | 214 | 0.0192% |
| 1928 | #429 | 250 | 0.0217% |
| 1927 | #441 | 242 | 0.0203% |
| 1926 | #443 | 232 | 0.0196% |
| 1925 | #479 | 213 | 0.0175% |
| 1924 | #477 | 213 | 0.0171% |
| 1923 | #474 | 211 | 0.0175% |
| 1922 | #481 | 205 | 0.0171% |
| 1921 | #475 | 211 | 0.0171% |
| 1920 | #530 | 178 | 0.0149% |
| 1919 | #514 | 175 | 0.0155% |
| 1918 | #495 | 188 | 0.0162% |
| 1917 | #525 | 162 | 0.0150% |
| 1916 | #507 | 166 | 0.0159% |
| 1915 | #482 | 164 | 0.0167% |
| 1914 | #480 | 132 | 0.0173% |
| 1913 | #465 | 116 | 0.0186% |
| 1912 | #537 | 83 | 0.0149% |
| 1911 | #445 | 84 | 0.0201% |
| 1910 | #505 | 65 | 0.0164% |
| 1909 | #535 | 50 | 0.0144% |
| 1908 | #476 | 57 | 0.0170% |
| 1907 | #558 | 43 | 0.0135% |
| 1906 | #556 | 40 | 0.0135% |
| 1905 | #604 | 34 | 0.0117% |
| 1904 | #522 | 40 | 0.0145% |
| 1903 | #699 | 23 | 0.0088% |
| 1902 | #528 | 37 | 0.0140% |
| 1901 | #579 | 29 | 0.0121% |
| 1900 | #765 | 23 | 0.0077% |
| 1899 | #648 | 23 | 0.0099% |
| 1898 | #702 | 22 | 0.0085% |
| 1897 | #746 | 18 | 0.0077% |
| 1896 | #621 | 25 | 0.0105% |
| 1895 | #612 | 25 | 0.0107% |
| 1894 | #561 | 27 | 0.0121% |
| 1893 | #726 | 17 | 0.0080% |
| 1892 | #769 | 15 | 0.0071% |
| 1891 | #647 | 17 | 0.0092% |
| 1890 | #838 | 11 | 0.0058% |
| 1889 | #813 | 11 | 0.0062% |
| 1888 | #669 | 15 | 0.0084% |
| 1887 | #971 | 7 | 0.0048% |
| 1886 | #706 | 11 | 0.0076% |
| 1885 | #861 | 7 | 0.0053% |
| 1884 | #696 | 10 | 0.0078% |
| 1881 | #859 | 5 | 0.0054% |
| 1880 | #641 | 8 | 0.0088% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #11,043 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #12,835 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2005 | #10,476 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #9,210 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #7,196 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #9,159 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #8,511 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1989 | #4,347 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1988 | #5,955 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #6,172 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #5,319 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1982 | #5,865 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #6,572 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1972 | #4,599 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1971 | #4,100 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1932 | #3,168 | 7 | 0.0007% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Elena
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Elena Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are fine when in harmony but changeable when in discord, because many of your best qualities are then reversed. You are entertaining but may be impulsive. Freedom is a necessity, and you find it difficult to settle down. Your versatility results in many changes, and often brings travel. Your fine intellect is capable of high honors if applied seriously. You are capable of inspired thinking applied to material things. You can be restless, changeable, and very sexy. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Elena's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Elena's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.