Girl's name
Lena
Say it LAY-nuh
Greek origin 2 syllables
Where Lena is loved, common and rare
Loved in Austria and one more place. Common across six German cities, Switzerland, Poland and five more places. Rare in Ontario, British Columbia, the UK and five more places.
1 in 852 girls born in Scotland in 2025
Austria 7thCologne 17thBerlin 20th
LovedCommonRare
Every place
In 25 of the 40 official lists, among them Austria (7th), Cologne (17th) and Berlin (20th).
Show all 25 placesShow less
| Place | Rank | Girls | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hungary as Léna | 5th 2025 | 662 | rank only |
| Austria | 7th 2025 | 413 | 1 in 86 |
| Cologne city | 17th 2023 | 36 | about 1 in 171 |
| Berlin city | 20th 2023 | 89 | about 1 in 163 |
| Switzerland | 21st 2025 | 200 | 1 in 170 |
| Poland | 22nd 2025 | 1,845 | 1 in 65 |
| Munich city | 30th 2025 | 37 | about 1 in 113 |
| France as Léna | 31st 2025 | 1,475 | 1 in 194 |
| Quebec province | 48th 2025 | 103 | about 1 in 252 |
| The Netherlands | 69th 2025 | 199 | about 1 in 307 |
| Slovenia | 79th 2025 | 23 | about 1 in 287 |
| Ontario province | 119th 2024 | 88 | about 1 in 619 |
| British Columbia province | 156th 2023 | 19 | about 1 in 629 |
| Scotland | 191st 2025 | 21 | 1 in 852 |
| Catalonia region | 207th 2025 | 19 | 1 in 1,014 |
| Sweden | 246th 2025 | 31 | about 1 in 1,296 |
| Northern Ireland | 259th 2025 | 6 | 1 in 1,214 |
| Italy | 264th 2024 | 66 | 1 in 2,715 |
| Ireland | 266th 2025 | 16 | 1 in 1,320 |
| Norway | 287th 2025 | 13 | 1 in 1,677 |
| England and Wales | 288th 2025 | 158 | 1 in 1,603 |
| Croatia | 29th 2025 | 133 | rank only |
| Leipzig city | 41st 2025 | 11 | about 1 in 239 |
| Bonn city | 50th 2025 | 11 | about 1 in 274 |
| Rostock city | 92nd 2025 | 2 | about 1 in 492 |
Rare, below the listed names: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, New Zealand, Spain and Israel.
Not in a short top list, so no figure: Nova Scotia (top 21), Denmark (top 50), Finland (top 50), Iceland (top 10), Estonia (top 25), Moscow (top 61), Turkey (top 30) and Argentina (top 20).
Germany publishes no national statistics on first names. German figures here are city lists (Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Bonn, Leipzig, Rostock), never the country.
Sources: Belügyminisztérium, Nyilvántartások (kormany.hu) (Hungary); Statistik Austria (OGDEXT_VORNAMEN_1) (Austria); Stadt Köln, Standesamt (offenedaten-koeln.de) (Cologne); BerlinOnline GmbH; Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten (LABO) / Standesämter (Berlin); Bundesamt für Statistik (BFS) / Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS) (Switzerland); Ministerstwo Cyfryzacji, rejestr PESEL (dane.gov.pl) (Poland); Landeshauptstadt München, Statistisches Amt (opendata.muenchen.de) (Munich); INSEE, Fichier des prénoms (édition 2025) (France); Retraite Québec (Banque de prénoms, Données Québec) (Quebec); Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) (the Netherlands); Statistični urad Republike Slovenije (SURS), SiStat (Slovenia); Ontario Office of the Registrar General (Ontario Data Catalogue) (Ontario); BC Vital Statistics Agency (BC Data Catalogue) (British Columbia); National Records of Scotland (Scotland); Idescat (Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya) (Catalonia); Skatteverket (Swedish Tax Agency) (Sweden); NISRA (Northern Ireland); ISTAT, Contanomi (Italy); Central Statistics Office (CSO) (Ireland); Statistics Norway (SSB) (Norway); Office for National Statistics (England and Wales); Ministarstvo pravosuđa, uprave i digitalne transformacije (Matica rođenih) (Croatia); Stadt Leipzig, Standesamt (opendata.leipzig.de) (Leipzig); Bundesstadt Bonn, Standesamt (opendata.bonn.de) (Bonn); Hanse- und Universitätsstadt Rostock (opendata-hro.de) (Rostock). How we count, and every source
About the name
Lena is a pet form that became a name of its own. In Scandinavia, Germany and Russia it grew out of longer names: Helena, Magdalena and Yelena, the Russian form of Elena. Through Helena it ultimately goes back to Ancient Greek.
Read the restShow less
Usually said LAY-nuh, it has two syllables and a gentle, even rhythm. The French spelling is Léna, and Lene and Lenna are close relatives, alongside the full forms Helena, Elena, Helen and Ellen.
Lena does especially well in Hungary and Austria, where it ranks in the top ten, and it is popular in Switzerland as well. In the English-speaking world it is most used in Quebec, with a smaller following in Ontario and British Columbia. It peaked in France around 2013 and has cooled a little since, though it remains a familiar name across much of Europe.
Meaning, origin, pronunciation
- Pronounced
- LAY-nuh, 2 syllables
- Origin
- Greek
- Other spellings
- Helena
- Elena
- Helene
- Lana
- Alena
- Ellen
- Lenna
- Elina
- Lene
- Magda
- Jela
- Helen
- Helka
- Jeļena
- Lenka
- Eleni
- Lenke
- Leena
- Lenuța
- Ilena
Counted together here: Léna.
Etymology
Scandinavian, German and Russian pet form of Helena, Magdalena and Yelena (Elena). Listed as a female given name from Ancient Greek.
From the Wiktionary entry, CC BY-SA 4.0, shortened.
Over time
Over five years: rising in 4 of 24 regions, falling in 12.
Show the yearsShow less
Rank in each place since 1996; higher on the chart is more popular.
Ten years of ranks
Her rank each year, English-speaking regions first. A blank means no published rank for her that year.
| Region | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | 138 | 158 | 154 | 169 | 186 | 218 | 221 | 260 | 283 | 288 |
| Scotland | 124 | 153 | 91 | 126 | 157 | 205 | 173 | 144 | 207 | 191 |
| Northern Ireland | 159 | 134 | 171 | 144 | 178 | 266 | 218 | 237 | 288 | 259 |
| Ireland | 101 | 85 | 131 | 137 | 132 | 172 | 146 | 200 | 232 | 266 |
| Ontario | 199 | 211 | 154 | 157 | 169 | 125 | 149 | 160 | 119 | |
| British Columbia | 345 | 469 | 210 | 120 | 150 | 142 | 234 | 156 | ||
| South Australia | 838 | 164 | ||||||||
| Quebec | 113 | 122 | 118 | 107 | 59 | 54 | 53 | 59 | 42 | 48 |
| France | 12 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 15 | 11 | 19 | 24 | 31 |
| The Netherlands | 46 | 50 | 59 | 50 | 50 | 49 | 56 | 63 | 69 | |
| Austria | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
| Switzerland | 5 | 5 | 10 | 9 | 18 | 15 | 17 | 13 | 25 | 21 |
| Berlin | 21 | 24 | 15 | 10 | 28 | 25 | 20 | 20 | ||
| Munich | 14 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 13 | 7 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 |
| Cologne | 15 | 13 | 17 | 12 | 17 | 21 | 29 | 17 | ||
| Bonn | 12 | 4 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 22 | 36 | 13 | 50 |
| Leipzig | 9 | 27 | 13 | 19 | 15 | 30 | 37 | 22 | 36 | 41 |
| Rostock | 27 | 42 | 15 | 13 | 22 | 30 | 21 | 21 | 37 | 92 |
| Norway | 128 | 123 | 112 | 130 | 131 | 155 | 182 | 188 | 221 | 287 |
| Sweden | 223 | 268 | 299 | 239 | 285 | 240 | 255 | 265 | 244 | 246 |
| Iceland | 43 | 208 | ||||||||
| Catalonia | 148 | 154 | 179 | 104 | 172 | 153 | 154 | 112 | 84 | 207 |
| Italy | 269 | 329 | 256 | 294 | 300 | 305 | 264 | |||
| Poland | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 16 | 22 |
| Hungary | 10 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Slovenia | 90 | 80 | 85 | 100 | 95 | 85 | 70 | 68 | 73 | 79 |
| Croatia | 31 | 33 | 29 |
England and Wales, 1996 to 2025
| Year | Rank | Girls | per 100,000 girls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 288 | 158 | 62.4 |
| 2024 | 283 | 159 | 61.6 |
| 2023 | 260 | 172 | 67.0 |
| 2022 | 221 | 216 | 82.0 |
| 2021 | 218 | 229 | 83.6 |
| 2020 | 186 | 263 | 98.0 |
| 2019 | 169 | 302 | 107.8 |
| 2018 | 154 | 343 | 119.0 |
| 2017 | 158 | 352 | 117.7 |
| 2016 | 138 | 407 | 132.5 |
| 2015 | 134 | 421 | 136.7 |
| 2014 | 129 | 424 | 138.3 |
| 2013 | 128 | 427 | 138.4 |
| 2012 | 137 | 419 | 130.1 |
| 2011 | 151 | 360 | 112.0 |
| 2010 | 192 | 264 | 82.2 |
| 2009 | 247 | 195 | 62.2 |
| 2008 | 341 | 132 | 41.8 |
| 2007 | 544 | 68 | 22.2 |
| 2006 | 461 | 84 | 28.1 |
| 2005 | 567 | 58 | 20.1 |
| 2004 | 565 | 55 | 19.2 |
| 2003 | 637 | 45 | 16.1 |
| 2002 | 631 | 43 | 16.1 |
| 2001 | 642 | 40 | 14.9 |
| 2000 | 804 | 28 | 10.2 |
| 1999 | 736 | 31 | 11.0 |
| 1998 | 701 | 34 | 11.8 |
| 1997 | 629 | 40 | 13.6 |
| 1996 | 823 | 27 | 9.1 |
Sources: Office for National Statistics (1996-2025), OGL v3.
France since 1925
Half of the babies named Lena in France since 1925 were born in or after 2011. First recorded in 1925. Her peak year there: 2013, at 971.0 per 100,000 girls.
Babies named Lena per 100,000 girls born in France, by five-year period. Her 2013 peak is averaged into its five-year period, so the line sits below it.
Sources: INSEE, Fichier des prénoms (édition 2025) (1900-2025), Licence Ouverte / Etalab 2.0.
Sister names for Lena
1 in 571 in Ireland
1 in 334 in England and Wales
Rose and fell with Lena.
1 in 1,041 in Northern Ireland
Rose and fell with Lena.
1 in 426 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Lena. Same first letter as Lena.
1 in 782 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Lena.
1 in 729 in Northern Ireland
Rose and fell with Lena.
1 in 577 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Lena.
1 in 491 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Lena.
1 in 166 in Northern Ireland
Rose and fell with Lena.
1 in 2,347 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Lena. Same first letter as Lena.
Middle names for Lena
1 in 57 in Northern Ireland
Lena Grace
2-1 beats · initials LG
Changes the beat after Lena: 2 syllables, then 1 syllable.
1 in 71 in Scotland
Lena Olivia
2-4 beats · initials LO · Lena slides into Olivia: vowel meets vowel.
Changes the beat after Lena: 2 syllables, then 4 syllables. Lena slides into Olivia: vowel meets vowel.
1 in 99 in Scotland
Lena Sophia
2-3 beats · initials LS
Changes the beat after Lena: 2 syllables, then 3 syllables.
1 in 311 in Ireland
Lena Maria
2-3 beats · initials LM
Changes the beat after Lena: 2 syllables, then 3 syllables.
1 in 214 in Northern Ireland
Lena Rose
2-1 beats · initials LR
Changes the beat after Lena: 2 syllables, then 1 syllable.
1 in 78 in Northern Ireland
Lena Emily
2-3 beats · initials LE · Lena slides into Emily: vowel meets vowel.
Changes the beat after Lena: 2 syllables, then 3 syllables. Lena slides into Emily: vowel meets vowel.
1 in 491 in Ireland
Lena Julia
2-3 beats · initials LJ
Changes the beat after Lena: 2 syllables, then 3 syllables.
1 in 1,286 in England and Wales
Lena Miriam
2-3 beats · initials LM
Changes the beat after Lena: 2 syllables, then 3 syllables.
Same style as Lena
Names whose popularity rose and fell with hers across regions and decades.
1 in 260 in Northern Ireland
96% alike: moves with Lena across countries and decades.
1 in 754 in Ireland
96% alike: moves with Lena across countries and decades.
1 in 491 in Ireland
96% alike: moves with Lena across countries and decades.
1 in 1,193 in Scotland
95% alike: moves with Lena across countries and decades.
1 in 571 in Ireland
95% alike: moves with Lena across countries and decades.
1 in 471 in Scotland
94% alike: moves with Lena across countries and decades.
1 in 515 in Ireland
94% alike: moves with Lena across countries and decades.
1 in 1,041 in Northern Ireland
94% alike: moves with Lena across countries and decades.
Famous people named Lena
Lena Meyer-Landrut, Lena Headey, Lena Horne, Lena Dunham, Lena Olin, Lena Philipsson, Lena Oberdorf and Lena Endre.
Show all 8Show less
-
German singer (born 1991)
-
British actress (born 1973)
-
American singer, actress, dancer and activist (1917–2010)
-
American writer, director, actress, and producer (born 1986)
-
Swedish stage actress, film actress, beauty pageant contestant, actress (1955–)
-
Swedish female pop and schlager singer born 1966
-
Association football player (2001-)
-
Swedish actress born 1955
People: Wikidata (CC0), linked to Wikipedia in this page's language when an article exists.
Questions about Lena
4 questions, on how popular she is, how to say it, whether she is rising and sister names.
Show all 4 questionsShow less
How popular is Lena?
Her best rank is No. 5 in Hungary in 2025. She is in the published lists of 25 of our 40 regions.
How do you pronounce Lena?
LAY-nuh, with 2 syllables.
Is Lena getting more popular?
Over five years: rising in 4 of 24 regions, falling in 12.
Which sister names go with Lena?
The deck's top five sisters for Lena: Sara, Iris, Anastasia, Lara and Melissa. Each is scored on style, era, popularity and origin, with sound clashes flagged.