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Lena Name Origin: Hebrew
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Pronunciation: lee-nah, lay-nah
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Lena Name Meaning
Lena has been associated with light, brightness, and radiance. In ancient times, the name was often given to babies born during the bright and sunny summer months.
Origins of the Name Lena
Lena is a name of German and Scandinavian origin, derived from the German name “Helene” which means “bright, shining light.” In Scandinavian countries, the name Lena is a shortened version of the name Magdalena, which means “of Magdala” or “from the tower.” This gives the name a sense of strength and protection.
Popularity of the Name Lena
Lena began to gain popularity as a name in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was particularly popular in Germany and Scandinavian countries, and quickly spread to other parts of Europe and the United States.
In the early 20th century, the name was popularized by the German singer and actress Lena Zavaroni, who was known for her powerful voice and captivating performances. This helped to solidify the name’s place in popular culture and cemented its status as a timeless classic.
Lena reached its peak in popularity in the early 20th century, with the name appearing in the top 100 most popular girl’s names in the United States between 1900 and 1940. Despite a slight decline in popularity in recent years, the name continues to be a favorite among parents, and is a popular choice for girls all over the world.
Final Thoughts on the Name Lena
Today, Lena is a name that is synonymous with beauty, strength, and light. It’s a timeless classic that has stood the test of time and continues to be a popular choice among parents. The name is perfect for a girl who is bright, shining, and full of radiance.
In conclusion, Lena is a name that has a rich history and meaning behind it. It’s a name that has stood the test of time and continues to be a favorite among parents. Whether you’re looking for a strong, traditional name or simply love the sound of the name Lena, this classic name is sure to please.
Infographic of Lena name meaning, which is Lena is a shortened form of Madgalena and Helena, meaning woman from Magdala.
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Lena Name Popularity
How popular is the name Lena? Here’s everything we know.
| Year |
Rank |
# Births |
% Births |
| 1910 |
66 |
1,414 |
0.4016% |
| 1911 |
70 |
1,428 |
0.3835% |
| 1912 |
70 |
1,888 |
0.3744% |
| 1913 |
73 |
1,952 |
0.3443% |
| 1914 |
75 |
2,242 |
0.3217% |
| 1915 |
77 |
2,917 |
0.3211% |
| 1916 |
85 |
2,854 |
0.2954% |
| 1917 |
85 |
2,990 |
0.2989% |
| 1918 |
93 |
2,932 |
0.2732% |
| 1919 |
94 |
2,859 |
0.273% |
| 1920 |
98 |
2,770 |
0.2491% |
| 1921 |
104 |
2,699 |
0.2357% |
| 1922 |
107 |
2,610 |
0.2343% |
| 1923 |
108 |
2,501 |
0.2233% |
| 1924 |
112 |
2,392 |
0.206% |
| 1925 |
124 |
2,211 |
0.1956% |
| 1926 |
123 |
2,124 |
0.1931% |
| 1927 |
130 |
1,964 |
0.1774% |
| 1928 |
132 |
1,785 |
0.1668% |
| 1929 |
138 |
1,588 |
0.1533% |
| 1930 |
144 |
1,457 |
0.1395% |
| 1931 |
149 |
1,270 |
0.1287% |
| 1932 |
156 |
1,225 |
0.124% |
| 1933 |
168 |
1,056 |
0.1133% |
| 1934 |
172 |
1,045 |
0.1081% |
| 1935 |
183 |
940 |
0.0967% |
| 1936 |
195 |
864 |
0.0897% |
| 1937 |
203 |
807 |
0.0819% |
| 1938 |
204 |
821 |
0.0802% |
| 1939 |
218 |
728 |
0.0716% |
| 1940 |
214 |
771 |
0.0725% |
| 1941 |
218 |
768 |
0.0682% |
| 1942 |
243 |
746 |
0.0591% |
| 1943 |
248 |
740 |
0.0567% |
| 1944 |
252 |
687 |
0.0554% |
| 1945 |
250 |
700 |
0.0574% |
| 1946 |
279 |
660 |
0.0447% |
| 1947 |
296 |
672 |
0.0403% |
| 1948 |
283 |
701 |
0.0439% |
| 1949 |
311 |
589 |
0.0366% |
| 1950 |
309 |
594 |
0.0369% |
| 1951 |
316 |
588 |
0.0347% |
| 1952 |
333 |
578 |
0.0331% |
| 1953 |
336 |
574 |
0.0324% |
| 1954 |
353 |
556 |
0.0304% |
| 1955 |
373 |
522 |
0.0284% |
| 1956 |
379 |
503 |
0.0266% |
| 1957 |
395 |
497 |
0.0258% |
| 1958 |
406 |
478 |
0.0253% |
| 1959 |
419 |
477 |
0.0251% |
| 1960 |
422 |
485 |
0.0256% |
| 1961 |
408 |
524 |
0.0278% |
| 1962 |
422 |
488 |
0.0266% |
| 1963 |
420 |
484 |
0.027% |
| 1964 |
410 |
530 |
0.0301% |
| 1965 |
405 |
486 |
0.0297% |
| 1966 |
392 |
497 |
0.0318% |
| 1967 |
419 |
455 |
0.03% |
| 1968 |
437 |
431 |
0.0287% |
| 1969 |
444 |
423 |
0.0275% |
| 1970 |
441 |
457 |
0.0287% |
| 1971 |
435 |
442 |
0.0294% |
| 1972 |
410 |
437 |
0.0321% |
| 1973 |
423 |
426 |
0.0329% |
| 1974 |
415 |
435 |
0.0335% |
| 1975 |
435 |
417 |
0.0325% |
| 1976 |
435 |
415 |
0.0322% |
| 1977 |
450 |
403 |
0.0299% |
| 1978 |
470 |
376 |
0.028% |
| 1979 |
449 |
413 |
0.0293% |
| 1980 |
443 |
447 |
0.0306% |
| 1981 |
450 |
434 |
0.0295% |
| 1982 |
430 |
469 |
0.0314% |
| 1983 |
464 |
387 |
0.0262% |
| 1984 |
441 |
430 |
0.0289% |
| 1985 |
426 |
474 |
0.0312% |
| 1986 |
503 |
375 |
0.0248% |
| 1987 |
509 |
370 |
0.0242% |
| 1988 |
558 |
333 |
0.0214% |
| 1989 |
551 |
371 |
0.023% |
| 1990 |
531 |
403 |
0.0243% |
| 1991 |
524 |
401 |
0.0246% |
| 1992 |
507 |
437 |
0.0274% |
| 1993 |
578 |
367 |
0.0235% |
| 1994 |
536 |
412 |
0.0268% |
| 1995 |
579 |
348 |
0.0231% |
| 1996 |
554 |
379 |
0.0253% |
| 1997 |
538 |
398 |
0.0269% |
| 1998 |
532 |
432 |
0.0289% |
| 1999 |
539 |
427 |
0.0285% |
| 2000 |
546 |
435 |
0.0285% |
| 2001 |
557 |
425 |
0.0282% |
| 2002 |
531 |
469 |
0.0313% |
| 2003 |
509 |
518 |
0.034% |
| 2004 |
528 |
501 |
0.0329% |
| 2005 |
472 |
610 |
0.0399% |
| 2006 |
482 |
608 |
0.0388% |
| 2007 |
457 |
660 |
0.0418% |
| 2008 |
441 |
674 |
0.0436% |
| 2009 |
408 |
739 |
0.0494% |
| 2010 |
369 |
816 |
0.0566% |
| 2011 |
355 |
867 |
0.0609% |
| 2012 |
354 |
843 |
0.0592% |
| 2013 |
327 |
946 |
0.0664% |
| 2014 |
273 |
1,133 |
0.0778% |
| 2015 |
269 |
1,115 |
0.0766% |
| 2016 |
271 |
1,110 |
0.077% |
| 2017 |
297 |
1,043 |
0.0747% |
| 2018 |
293 |
1,064 |
0.0774% |
| 2019 |
260 |
1,209 |
0.0893% |
| 2020 |
277 |
1,077 |
0.0846% |
| 2021 |
295 |
955 |
0.0781% |
| 2022 |
254 |
1,189 |
0.0901% |
District of Columbia (DC)
Data via SSA.gov.
Names Like Lena
If you like Lena, you’ll love these other names like Lena.
What names are variants of Lena?
Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Lena.
| Name |
Meaning |
Origin |
Popularity |
Other Gender |
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Leena
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Light; free man; palm tree
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Slavic
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Leina
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Palm tree
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Latin
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Leyna
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Lina
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Palm tree
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Latin
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What names sound like Lena?
If you like how Lena sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Lena.
| Name |
Meaning |
Origin |
Popularity |
Other Gender |
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Lana
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Little rock
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English
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Leana
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To twine around
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French
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Lenae
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Lime or linden tree
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Scandinavian
|
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Lenah
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Light
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Greek
|
|
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Lenai
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Porch
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Polynesian
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Lene
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Mild, soft, silky
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Latin
|
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Lenna
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Lion's strength
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German
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Lenya
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Russian
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Leona
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Lion
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Latin
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Lona
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A short form of Alonsa.
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Luna
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The moon
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Latin
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Lyna
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Light; palm tree
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Slavic
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What names are similar to Lena?
Find a name that’s like Lena, but just a little bit different.
| Name |
Meaning |
Origin |
Popularity |
Other Gender |
|
Aileen
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“She shines in beauty;” an Irish form of Helen.
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Ancient
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Alina
|
Noble one
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German
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Arlene
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Pledge, promise
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Modern
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Eileen
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“The brightly shining one,” from the Greek lielene, something shining, as a torch.
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Gaelic
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Eleanor
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Of unknown meaning
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English
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Helen
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Sun ray, shining light
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Greek
|
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Madeline
|
Woman from Magdala
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English
|
|
|
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Olena
|
Torch
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Russian
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Lists With Lena
Find inspiration in these baby girl name lists featuring the name Lena.
Siblings of Lena
Mamas with kids named Lena also have kids with these names.
| Name |
Meaning |
Origin |
Popularity |
Other Gender |
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Theo
|
God's gift
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Greek
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