The Baby Name Wizard

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Contribute to, or edit, this collection of community wisdom on the name Elena!

Comments and insights on the name Elena: | Edit

In Germany the name can be pronounced in 3 different ways: always eh l eh n ah, but with no stress or a stress on the first eh or on the second. In my name eg is no syllaby stressed.

Personal experiences with the name Elena: | Edit

Common combinations in Spanish are Luz Elena, Maria Elena and Martha Elena.

This is my grandmothers name- except she pronounces it like Ellen-ah. I believe it is the proper pronounciation in Lithuanian, and opens it up as an alternitive name for the nickname Ellie, which is what she goes by.

My name is Elena (Ellen-ah - the greek pr.) I struggle a lot with people calling me Eh-LAYNE-ah and now go by Ellie, which I seriously dislike, but has no pronouciation issues. I do love my name, but I wish everyone could pronouce it right.

My name is Elena (E-LAY-nuh) but hardly anyone says it right! It's amazing what people come up with! My full name is Maria Elena, and frankly, I love it! My mother is spanish, and the name sounds so much prettier with a spanish accent.

My great cousin from Madrid is Maria Elena, nn Marilen or just Len. I am going to use this as a middle name and not sure if there is a need to put an accent over the second "e" to secure the spanish pronunciation... they do that for Penelope as well.

Nicknames for Elena: | Edit

Lanie, Lena, Ellie, Elle

Meanings and history of the name Elena: | Edit

Spanish spelling of the Greek Helene (made most famous by Helen of Troy). Means "light" or "light bearer" and carries overtones of "shining" and associations with beauty.

Famous real-life people named Elena: | Edit

Elena Paparizou, Greek singer/ international star
Elena Anaya, actress
Elena Poniatowska, journalist
Elena Furiase, Spanish actress
Elena "Ellie" GOulding, English singer-songwriter
Elena Souliotis- famous opera singer
Elena Kagan, U.S Supreme Court Justice.
Elena Garro, Mexican writer.

Elena in song, story & screen: | Edit

Elena Mendola, female love interest in the Italian movie Cinema Paradiso
Elena de la Vega (played by Catherine Zeta-Jones), female love interest in the movie The Mask of Zorro
Elena Michaels, the female werewolf in Kelley Armstong's Women of the Otherworld book series
Elena Gilbert, the female main character in the book and TV series The Vampire Diaries
Elena Delgado an FBI agent on Without A Trace and husband of Danny Taylor.
Elena Fisher is a main character (journalist/treasure hunter) in the "Uncharted" video game series.