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Home › Baby Names Directory › Yelena

Yelena

♀ Girl

Pronounced yih-LEH-nuh /jɪ.ˈlʲe.nə/Medium

Meaning: TorchMedium

In 30 seconds: Yelena is the Russian form of Helen, meaning torch.
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Origin MediumRussian
MeaningTorch
U.S. rank (2025)#1807 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births112 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2022
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,626

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202219612025

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Yelena is the Russian version of Helen, a name rooted in the idea of a torch or bright light. The Greek original spread across Europe in many shapes, and Russian gives it this soft opening Ye- sound. The torch meaning ties it to a long tradition of light-themed names.

The variations Helena, Helene and the short form Lena show the wider family Yelena belongs to. Bearers include Russian actress Yelena Panova and pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, a two-time Olympic gold medalist.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Yelena is 'torch', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Yelena — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

HelenaHeleneElenHeghineLena

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Yelena Panova (1977–present)
    Russian stage and film actress.
  • ★Yelena Isinbayeva (1982–present)
    Russian pole vaulter, two-time Olympic gold medalist.

If you like Yelena…

Helena— The listed variation, the broader European form sharing the torch meaning.
Lena— The listed short form often drawn from Yelena and its relatives.
Irina— lands in the same popularity range
Alyna— lands in the same popularity range
Arina— echoes that soft -na sound

Explore names like Yelena

By themenaturerussian

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Yelena mean?

Yelena is usually explained as meaning 'torch' and is most often linked with Russian tradition.

How do you pronounce Yelena?

It's commonly said yih-LEH-nuh /jɪ.ˈlʲe.nə/.

Is Yelena a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Yelena is used as a girl name.

How popular is Yelena?

In 2024, Yelena ranked #2497 in the U.S. for girls, with 72 births recorded.

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