Yelena
How to say it: yeh-LAY-na · /jɛˈleɪnə/
Russian form of Helen from Greek 'helene' meaning 'torch, shining light' - classic Slavic name.
Yelena was the 1,410th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 112 babies (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are up 2.7-fold in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #825 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #1,410 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 112 |
| Share of births | 1 in 29,601 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | ×2.7 |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #825 |
| In France, 2025 | #625 among girls’ names, 55 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Yelena is a newcomer: almost all of its history is from the last forty years.
What goes with it
Nicknames
- Lena
- Yela
Honouring a Yelena in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Yelena is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish.
In France: #625 for girls in 2025.
Famous people named Yelena
- Yelena Isinbayeva (born 1982)Russian female Olympic pole-vaulter
- Yelena Serova (born 1976)Russian cosmonaut
- Yelena Slesarenko (born 1982)Russian athletics competitor
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
Keep exploring
About as popular as Yelena
In the same lists
Find names you'll both love, starting with Yelena
The one-minute style quiz.