Elena
Borrowed from Italian and Spanish Elena, cognate to English Helen.
Every Elena since 1880 — 108,117 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Elena
Elena is a top-50 name for girls in the United States, ranked #42 in 2025 with 4,836 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 108,117 American babies have been named Elena. Its peak came in 2025, when 4,842 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Elena stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Elena year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,836 | #42 | 6 | #11,043 |
| 2024 | 4,577 | #46 | — | — |
| 2023 | 4,276 | #47 | — | — |
| 2022 | 4,290 | #49 | — | — |
| 2021 | 4,283 | #53 | — | — |
| 2020 | 3,930 | #55 | — | — |
| 2019 | 3,949 | #60 | — | — |
| 2018 | 3,776 | #67 | — | — |
| 2017 | 3,882 | #68 | 5 | #12,840 |
| 2016 | 3,190 | #94 | — | — |
| 2015 | 2,898 | #106 | — | — |
| 2014 | 2,616 | #121 | — | — |
| 2013 | 2,393 | #132 | — | — |
| 2012 | 2,275 | #139 | — | — |
| 2011 | 1,939 | #160 | — | — |
| 2010 | 1,886 | #164 | — | — |
| 2009 | 1,685 | #195 | — | — |
| 2008 | 1,627 | #209 | — | — |
| 2007 | 1,744 | #192 | — | — |
| 2006 | 1,875 | #187 | — | — |
| 2005 | 1,604 | #217 | 6 | #10,476 |
| 2004 | 1,584 | #215 | 7 | #9,211 |
| 2003 | 1,464 | #222 | — | — |
| 2002 | 1,358 | #233 | — | — |
| 2001 | 1,392 | #228 | — | — |
| 2000 | 1,366 | #234 | — | — |
| 1995 | 947 | #293 | — | — |
| 1990 | 756 | #352 | 5 | #8,515 |
| 1985 | 726 | #328 | 7 | #5,319 |
| 1980 | 633 | #370 | — | — |
| 1975 | 521 | #389 | — | — |
| 1970 | 509 | #433 | — | — |
| 1965 | 455 | #443 | — | — |
| 1960 | 431 | #469 | — | — |
| 1955 | 408 | #444 | — | — |
| 1950 | 259 | #501 | — | — |
| 1945 | 216 | #494 | — | — |
| 1940 | 135 | #599 | — | — |
| 1935 | 130 | #561 | — | — |
| 1930 | 219 | #456 | — | — |
| 1925 | 213 | #479 | — | — |
| 1920 | 178 | #530 | — | — |
| 1915 | 164 | #482 | — | — |
| 1910 | 65 | #505 | — | — |
| 1905 | 34 | #604 | — | — |
| 1900 | 23 | #765 | — | — |
| 1895 | 25 | #612 | — | — |
| 1890 | 11 | #838 | — | — |
| 1885 | 7 | #861 | — | — |
| 1880 | 8 | #641 | — | — |
Famous people named Elena
- Elena Ceaușescu Politician · 1916–1989
- Elena Ferrante Writer · b. 1943
- Elena of Montenegro Companion · 1871–1952
- Elena Cornaro Piscopia Philosopher · 1646–1684
- Elena Glinskaya Politician · 1510–1538
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Elena mean?
Borrowed from Italian and Spanish Elena, cognate to English Helen.
How popular is the name Elena in 2025?
Elena ranked #42 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 4,836 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Elena?
108,117 babies have been named Elena in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Elena most popular?
Elena peaked in 2025, when 4,842 newborns received the name.
Is Elena a boy or girl name?
Elena is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Elena rising or falling?
Elena is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Elena?
Well-known people named Elena include Elena Ceaușescu (politician), Elena Ferrante (writer), Elena of Montenegro (companion).