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Ellene
How to Pronounce Ellene
Pronounced eh-LEEN /ΙΛliΛn/Medium
Meaning: Ellene is an early-1900s variant blending Ellen and Eileen. Ellen is a medieval English form of Helen (Greek, traditionally 'torch, light'), and Eileen is its Irish cousin. The inherited meaning is that of Helen.Low
Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880βpresent). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Ellene sits between Ellen and Eileen, two forms of the ancient name Helen, traditionally linked to helene, 'torch' or 'light', a meaning scholars treat as traditional rather than certain. The -ene spelling gives the familiar Ellen a fashionable early-twentieth-century lift while keeping its roots.
Ellene appears as a rarity clustered in the nineteen-tens and twenties, a few dozen girls a year before it faded. It reads as a gentle vintage variant of a timeless name; Ellen, Eileen, and Helen are the living forms, leaving Ellene an uncommon old-record spelling.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Ellene mean?
Ellene is a variant of Ellen and Eileen, both from Helen, traditionally 'torch' or 'light'.
How do you pronounce Ellene?
It's said eh-LEEN /ΙΛliΛn/ β two syllables, stress on the last.
Is Ellene a boy or girl name?
Ellene is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Ellene?
Ellene has always been very rare in the U.S., a vintage variant most seen in the early twentieth century.