Elena is a popular female given name of Greek origin. The name means "shining light". Nicknames of the name Elena are Lena, Lennie, Ella, Ellie, Nellie, or Nena (less common).The Treasury of North American Baby Names by Gill Davies, p. 88,
Other common variants are Alena (German, Czech, Russian, Belarusian, Serbian, Croatian); Alenka (Slovenian); Alyona (Russian); Elene (Georgian); Helen (English); Hélène (French); Helena (Latin, Polish); Eliana (Portuguese); Eline (Dutch, Norwegian, Sranan Tongo); Ileana (Romanian, Italian, Spanish); Ilona (Hungarian, Finnish, Latvian); Ilana (Greek); Olena (Ukrainian); Leena (Finnish); and Elena/Yelena/Jelena (Russian, Serbian, Croatian).
Notable people
Given name
A–K
Elena Abelson (1904–1993), better known as Tamara Talbot Rice, Russian-English art historian Elena Abramovich (born 1981), Belarusian handball player Elena Agafonnikova (born 1965), Russian basketball player Elena Aiello (1895–1961), Italian blessed Elena Akselrod, Russian poet and translator Elena Albu (1949–2003), Romanian actress Elena Aldunate (1925–2005), Chilean journalist and writer Elena Alexandrova (born 1950), Soviet figure skater Elena Alexieva (born 1975), Bulgarian writer Elena Alistar (1873–1955), Bessarabian politician Elena Allen (born 1972), British sport shooter Elena Altieri (1916–1997), Italian actress Elena Altsjoel (born 1964), Belarusian draughts player Elena Amat Calderón (1910–2006), Spanish university professor and archivist Elena Amato (born 1983), Italian gymnast Elena Anagnostopoulou (born 1967), Greek theoretical linguist Elena Anaya (born 1975), Spanish actress Elena Andreianova (1819–1957), Russian dancer Elena Andreicheva, Ukrainian documentary filmmaker Elena Andrieș (born 1994), Romanian weightlifter Elena Anguissola, 16th-century Italian artist Elena Aniushina (born 1993), Russian canoeist Elena Antoci (born 1975), Romanian middle-distance runner Elena Oana Antonescu (born 1979), Romanian politician Elena Apreleva (1846–1923), Russian writer Elena Aprile (born 1954), Italian experimental particle physicist Elena Arenas (born 2001), American artistic gymnast Elena Arifova (born 1972), Azerbaijani football player Elena Aristodimou (born 2002), Cypriot footballer Elena Arizmendi Mejía (1884–1949), Mexican feminist writer Elena Artamendi (born 1939), Spanish gymnast Elena Arzak (born 1969), Spanish chef Elena Arzhakova (born 1989), Russian runner who specializes in the middle-distance events Elena Asachi (1789–1877), Romanian pianist, singer and composer Elena Asimakopoulou (born 1984), Greek model Elena Azarova (born 1973), Russian synchronized swimmer Elena Bacaloglu (1878–c. 1947), Romanian journalist, literary critic, novelist and fascist militant Elena Bajo, Spanish painter Elena Ballesteros (born 1981), Spanish actress Elena Balletti (1686–1771), Italian actress and writer Elena Baltacha (1983–2014), British tennis player, born in Kyiv Elena Baranova (born 1972), Russian basketball player Elena Baravilala (born 1988), Fijian singer-songwriter Elena Barolo (born 1982), Italian actress, showgirl and vlogger Elena Barozzi (1514–1580), Venezuelan patrician Elena Barulina (1895–1957), Russian Soviet botanist and geneticist, expert on lentils. Elena Bascone (born 1995), Italian political economist Elena Băsescu (born 1980), Romanian politician Elena Bashir, American linguist Elena Bashkirova, Russian-Israeli classical pianist Elena Basile (born 1959), Italian diplomat and author Elena Batalova (born 1964), Russian freestyle skier Elena Batanova (born 1964), Soviet figure skater Elena Bechke (born 1966), Russian pair skater Elena Becker-Barroso, Spanish molecular biologist Elena Alexandrina Bednarik (1883–1939), Romanian painter Elena Beglova (born 1987), Russian basketball player Elena Belci (born 1964), Italian speed skater Elena Belle (born 1985), Swedish model Elena Bellò (born 1997), Italian middle-distance runner Elena Belova, several people Elena Benarroch (born 1955), Spanish fashion designer Elena Benítez (born 1966), Spanish taekwondo practitioner Elena Bennett (born 1972), American systems ecologist Elena Berezhnaya (born 1977), Russian pair skater Elena Berezovich (born 1966), Russian linguist Elena Berkova (born 1985), Russian model, television presenter, singer and actress Elena Berlato (born 1988), Italian cyclist Elena Berta (born 1992), Italian sailor Elena Bertocchi (born 1994), Italian diver Elena Besley, British computational chemist and researcher Elena Besova (born 1966), Russian judoka Elena Bianchini-Cappelli (1873–1919), Italian opera singer Elena Bibescu (1855–1902), Romanian noblewoman and pianist Elena Bineva (born 1999), Bulgarian group rhythmic gymnast Elena Bissolati (born 1997), Italian cyclist Elena Blasco, Spanish multidisciplinary artist Elena Bobrovskaya (born 1975), Kyrgyzstani athlete Elena Bodnarenco (1965–2022), Moldovan politician Elena Boeva (born 1985), Bulgarian model and actress Elena Bogdan (born 1992), Romanian tennis player Elena Boldyreva (born 1961), Russian chemist Elena Boledovičová (born 1953), Slovak handball player Elena Bolotina (born 1997), Belarusian rhythmic gymnast Elena Bomeshko (born 1950), Transnistrian politician Elena Bondar (born 1958), Romanian rower Elena Bonetti (born 1974), Italian politician Elena Maria Bonfanti (born 1988), Italian sprinter Elena Borghi (born 2002), Italian canoeist Elena Borstein (born 1946), American artist Elena Botchorichvili, Georgian-Canadian writer Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, (born 1963), Infanta of Spain and Duchess of Lugo Elena Bouryka (born 1983), Russian-Italian actress Elena Bovina (born 1983), Russian tennis player Elena Božić Talijan (born 1970), Serbian politician Elena Brambilla (1942–2018), Italian historian Elena Braslavsky, American pianist of Russian descent Elena Braverman (born 1961), Russian, Israeli, and Canadian mathematician Elena Brejniva (born 1990), Russian cyclist Elena Brezányiová (born 1958), Slovak handball player Elena Brioukhovets (born 1971), Soviet-Ukrainian tennis player Elena Brockmann (1867–1946), Spanish artist Elena Brugger (born 1997), German freestyle wrestler Elena Buglova, IAEA administrator Elena Bukreeva (born 1965), Soviet gymnast Elena Bulgakova (1893–1970), Soviet author and intellectual Elena Bunina (born 1976), Russian mathematician Elena Burkard (born 1992), German long-distance runner Elena Burke (1928–2002), Cuban singer Elena Busso (born 1976), Italian volleyball player Elena Butnaru (born 1975), Romanian volleyball player Elena Karina Byrne, American poet Elena Caffarena (1903–2003), Chilean lawyer, jurist and politician Elena Gatti Caporaso (1918–1999), Italian politician Elena Caragiani-Stoenescu (1887–1929), Romanian aviator Elena Carapetis (born 1970), Greek-Australian actress
Elena Carrión (born 1970), Spanish field hockey player Elena Carter Richardson (1948–2006), American ballerina and dance instructor Elena Cassin (1909–2011), Italian oriental scholar Elena Catena (1920–2012), Spanish academic Elena Cattaneo (born 1962), Italian academic Elena Cazzulani (1920–2007), Italian writer and poet Elena Ceampelea (born 1947), Romanian artistic gymnast Elena Ceaușescu (1916–1989), wife of former Romanian head of state Nicolae Ceaușescu Elena Cecchini (born 1992), Italian cyclist Elena Celledoni (born 1967), Italian mathematician Elena Cernei (1924–2000), Romanian opera singer Elena Chalova (born 1987), Russian tennis player Elena Chebanu (born 1981), Ukrainian-Azerbaijani Paralympic sprinter Elena Chernenko, multiple people Elena Chiozza (1919–2011), Argentine geographer Elena Chistilina (born 1982), Russian Paralympic athlete Elena Chizhova, Russian translator and writer Elena Chudinova (born 1959), Russian writer Elena Colas (born 2010), French artistic gymnast Elena Congost (born 1987), Spanish Paralympic athlete Elena Conis (born 1974), American historian of medicine Elena Constantinescu (1925–2005), British nightclub owner and spy Elena Conterno (born 1969), Peruvian economist and politician Elena Conti (born 1967), Italian biochemist Elena Corregido (born 1956), Argentine politician Elena-Luminița Cosma (born 1972), Romanian chess player Elena Cotta (born 1931), Italian actress Elena Cuoco, Italian astrophysicist and professor Elena Curtoni (born 1991), Italian alpine skier Elena Cuza (1825–1909), Romanian noble and philanthropist Elena D'Amario (born 1990), Italian dancer and choreographer Elena D'Angri (1824–1886), Greek opera singer Elena Dabija, Moldovan librarian and activist Elena Dache (born 1997), Romanian handball player Elena Dami (born 1999), Italian curler Elena Damiani (born 1979), Peruvian visual artist Elena Dan, Romanian opera singer Elena Danilova (born 1987), Russian footballer Elena Darikovich, Russian photographer Elena Abramovna Davidovich (1922–2013), Russian archaeologist and numismatist Elena D'Elia (born 2005), Italian singer-songwriter Elena Delle Donne (born 1989), American basketball player Elena Dementieva (born 1981), Russian former tennis player Elena Denchtchik (born 1973), Russian footballer Elena Denisova (born 1963), Austrian violinist Elena Desderi (born 1967), Italian cross-country skier Elena Deza (born 1961), Russian mathematician Elena Dhont (born 1998), Belgian footballer Elena Di Cioccio (born 1974), Italian actress Elena Di Girolamo, Argentine politician Elena Di Liddo (born 1993), Italian swimmer Elena Dimitrakopoulou (born 1977), Greek sailor Elena Dobrițoiu (born 1957), Romanian rower Elena Dobronravova (1932–1999), Russian actress Elena Dolgopolova (born 1980), Russian gymnast Elena Donaldson-Akhmilovskaya (1957–2012), Soviet-born American chess player Elena Donati (born 1974), Italian swimmer Elena Donazzan (born 1972), Italian politician Elena Dorfman, American fine art photographer Elena Doronina (born 1981), Russian bobsledder Elena Dostatni (born 1983), Russian ice dancer Elena Dostay (born 1969), Russian archer Elena J. Duarte, American lawyer Elena Duggan (born 1983), Australian cook Elena Duglioli (c. 1472–1520), Italian Roman Catholic aristocrat Elena Durán (born 1949), American flautist Elena Dzamashvili (1942–2020), Georgian pianist Elena Elagina (1949–2022), Russian artist Elena Elfimova (born 1972), Russian volleyball player Elena Eliseenko (born 1959), Soviet tennis player Elena Engel, American film producer Elena Epuran (born 1931), Romanian alpine skier Elena Erbakova, Russian actress Elena Eremina (born 2001), Russian artistic gymnast Elena Erighina (born 1996), Moldovan weightlifter Elena Erosheva, Russian statistician and social scientist Elena Eskina (born 1976), retired Russian field hockey player and umpire Elena Espinosa (born 1960), Spanish politician Elena Esposito (born 1960), Italian sociologist Elena Evseeva (born 1982), Russian ballerina Elena Ezhova (born 1977), Russian volleyball player Elena Fabrizi (1915–1993), Italian actress Elena Fanailova (born 1962), Russian poet Elena Fanchini (1985–2023), Italian alpine skier Elena Farago (1878–1954), Romanian poet, translator and children's author Elena Fatalibekova (born 1947), Russian chess player Elena Fattori (born 1966), Italian politician from Rimini Elena Favilli (born 1982), Italian author and entrepreneur Elena Aída Fernicola, Argentine politician Elena Fernández (born 1956), Spanish operations researcher Elena Ferrante (active 1992–present), pseudonymous Italian novelist Elena Ferrari, Italian computer scientist Elena Ferretti, Italian singer Elena Fidatov (born 1960), Romanian runner Elena Filipovska, Macedonian philologist, teacher and writer Elena Filonova, French classical pianist Elena Fiore (1914–1983), Italian actress Elena Firsova (born 1950), Russian composer Elena Florica (born 1992), Romanian handball player