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Lena Name Meaning, Origins & History

Lena

Pronunciation: LEE-nuh / LAY-nuh

Meaning Alluring, beautiful Origin Ancient Greek, Hebrew Gender Girl
GIRLS RANK
#279
TREND
16
Peak Years
1917, 1918, 1915
Lowest Years
1988, 1995, 1989
Energy Archetype
Wise & Balanced

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of girls named Lena in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Lena

  • An established favorite: Lena held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 41 consecutive years, from 1880 through 1920.
  • More than 146 thousand babies named Lena: U.S. records list 146,788 babies given the name Lena from 1880 through 2025. Even 326 boys received the name Lena - about 1 boy for every 449 girls.

What Does the Name Lena Mean?

Lena is used in several European languages, and in most of them it began as a short form of a longer name rather than as a name with a root of its own. In German, Dutch, Scandinavian, and Slavic use it is chiefly a pet form of Helena (Russian Yelena, Greek Eleni) and of Magdalena, so its meaning depends on which name it shortens.

Through Helena, Lena is usually glossed as "light" or "torch." That is a customary interpretation, because the etymology of Helena is disputed: some accounts derive it from a Greek word for "torch," others connect it with Greek selēnē, "moon," and others treat it as a Pre-Greek name whose original sense is unknown. Through Magdalena the meaning is different: Magdalene is a byname meaning "of Magdala," after the town of Magdala on the Sea of Galilee, so this derivation gives the sense "woman from Magdala," a place name rather than a word for light.

Lena Name History & Origins

Because Lena is largely a shortening, its history follows the longer names. In German-speaking Europe, Magdalena was a common name, given in honor of Mary Magdalene, and short forms such as Lene and Lena grew out of it. The same shortening appears in the Netherlands and in Scandinavia, where Lena also became established as a name in its own right. In the Slavic and Orthodox world, Лена is the everyday short form of Елена (Yelena, from Helena), and Polish, Czech, and other Slavic languages shorten Helena in the same way; Greek speakers likewise use Λένα as a short form of Ελένη.

In English-speaking countries Lena was in use by the 19th century, both as a short form of Helena and Magdalena and as an independent name. A well-known literary use is Lena Grove, the central character of William Faulkner's Light in August (1932); that is a twentieth-century author's choice of an existing name, not its origin. The Lena River in Siberia is a separate name, from an Evenki phrase meaning "big river," and is unrelated to the personal name.

How Popular is the Name Lena?

Lena remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1880 to 1920. Its highest annual birth count was in 1917, and people born that year turn 109 in 2026.

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.

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 Lena

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 Lena Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You always bring to completion anything you start. You are generous but like to see returns from your giving. You have an executive ability, you are a leader. You are moral, balanced, honest and intellectual, and you may attain spirituality. You are wise and practical with an appreciation of beauty. You always think before you act. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.

You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.

✦ Lena's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Lena's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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