Ileana Girl

Popularity: #898 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ee-LAY-ah-nah /iˈleɪ.ə.nə/

Origin: Greek; Spanish; Romanian

Meaning: Greek: light; Spanish: derived from the name Elena; Romanian: a diminutive of Elena

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Ileana has its roots in the Greek name Helene, which means "torch" or "light." The name Helene was popularized in ancient Greece, notably through the mythological figure Helen of Troy, whose beauty was said to have sparked the Trojan War. The name transitioned into Latin as Helena, maintaining its associations with light and beauty.

From Latin, it spread into various languages, including Old French, where it became Hélène, and eventually made its way into English as Helen. In the context of historical milestones, the name has been borne by several notable figures throughout history, including Saint Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine the Great, who is credited with finding the True Cross in the 4th century.

Her legacy contributed to the name's enduring significance in Christian tradition. The name has also appeared in various literary works, such as Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," where the character Helena embodies themes of love and longing, further enriching the name's cultural resonance.

Ileana itself is often considered a variant of the name Helena, particularly in Romanian and other Eastern European cultures. In these contexts, it carries similar connotations of light and beauty.

The name has been embraced in folklore and literature, often associated with strong, virtuous female characters. This cultural significance has helped sustain its use across generations, reflecting ideals of femininity and strength.

The diminutive form Ileana may also evoke a sense of affection and familiarity, contributing to its appeal in various cultural narratives.

Famous people named Ileana

In this section, you will find notable people named Ileana. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Ileana who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Ileana who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Ileana D'Cruz is an actress best known for Barfi!, Main Tera Hero, and Raju Gari Gadhi 2.

Fictional characters named Ileana

The following list of fictional characters named Ileana is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Ileana is a fictional character from the video game series Fire Emblem. She is a priestess who plays a significant role in supporting the main characters with her healing abilities.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Ileana, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

ElenaIsabellaSophiaMariaGabrielaVictoria

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Ileana. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

ElianaAlianaLianaAdrianaSelenaJulianaMireyaTatiana

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Ileana was first seen in the United States in 1918.

Ileana has ranked as high as #2063 nationally, which occurred in 1991, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Ileana has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Ileana is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Ileana was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Ileana.

Year Total Births Girl
2025 50 50
2024 76 76
2023 88 88
2022 97 97
2021 83 83
2020 83 83
2019 82 82
2018 102 102
2017 88 88
2016 96 96
2015 64 64
2014 88 88
2013 93 93
2012 81 81
2011 88 88
2010 94 94
2009 73 73
2008 94 94
2007 106 106
2006 107 107
2005 95 95
2004 76 76
2003 87 87
2002 94 94
2001 93 93
2000 106 106
1999 121 121
1998 118 118
1997 121 121
1996 102 102
1995 106 106
1994 123 123
1993 130 130
1992 131 131
1991 141 141
1990 139 139
1989 137 137
1988 80 80
1987 75 75
1986 73 73
1985 57 57
1984 42 42
1983 60 60
1982 64 64
1981 51 51
1980 48 48
1979 46 46
1978 47 47
1977 68 68
1976 50 50
1975 56 56
1974 50 50
1973 57 57
1972 37 37
1971 35 35
1970 59 59
1969 57 57
1968 65 65
1967 62 62
1966 43 43
1965 35 35
1964 63 63
1963 52 52
1962 63 63
1961 58 58
1960 49 49
1959 34 34
1958 18 18
1957 18 18
1956 28 28
1955 23 23
1954 17 17
1953 14 14
1952 16 16
1951 5 5
1950 9 9
1949 6 6
1948 10 10
1946 5 5
1945 6 6
1934 5 5
1932 6 6
1931 10 10
1930 17 17
1929 15 15
1928 8 8
1927 31 31
1926 44 44
1925 6 6
1924 6 6
1918 5 5

Top States for Ileana (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 17
49%
CA 13
37%
VA 5
14%