Lena

♀ Girl

Pronounced LEE-nuh /ˈliːnə/High

Meaning: Bright, shining light; short form of Helena or MagdalenaHigh

In 30 seconds: A sleek, pan-European short form of Helena or Magdalena, meaning 'bright light.' Lena is effortlessly international — equally at home in Berlin, Stockholm, Paris, and New York — with a clean, two-syllable elegance that never dates.

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Origin HighGreek, Germanic

MeaningBright, shining light; short form of Helena or Magdalena

U.S. rank (2025)#279 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births1,106 girls (0.06% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1917

Total births (all-time)≈ 146,462

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Lena is most commonly understood as a short form of Helena (bright, shining light, from Greek Helene) or Magdalena (from Magdala, a town name). It has been used independently across Northern and Central Europe — in Germany, Scandinavia, and Russia — for centuries. The Latin and Greek luminosity meaning is most widely accepted.

Lena has been popular across Europe for generations and gained steady use in the United States through the 20th and 21st centuries. It returned to the top 300 for girls in the U.S. in the 2010s and entered the top 5 in Germany, reflecting its pan-European appeal.

Did you know? Lena functions as an independent name in many cultures: in Hebrew it can connect to Magdalena (tower), in German to Helene (bright light), and in Russian names ending in -lena as a standalone form.

Overall data confidence 90%

Behind the Name — Lena — etymology and international useU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

HelenaElenaMagdalenaLina

Nicknames

Len

Famous Bearers

★Lena Headey (1973–present)
British actress known for her role as Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones.

If you like Lena…

Noa— short, elegant European-feeling name with the same quiet international appeal

Vera— brief, Slavic-origin classic with the same crisp, European two-syllable simplicity

Ada— short Germanic classic with the same trimmed, timeless European appeal

Ines— two-syllable European classic with the same understated elegance

Frequently Asked

What does the name Lena mean?

Lena means 'bright, shining light' as a short form of Helena (from Greek Helene) or Magdalena.

How do you pronounce Lena?

It is said LEE-nuh /ˈliːnə/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Lena a boy or girl name?

Lena is used almost exclusively as a girls' name.

How popular is Lena?

Lena ranked in the U.S. top 300 for girls and is a top-5 name in Germany.