Ilene Girl

Popularity: #929 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: eye-LEEN //aɪˈliːn//

Origin: Greek; Hebrew

Meaning: Greek: bright; Hebrew: God has answered

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Ilene has its roots in the Greek name Helenē, which is derived from the Greek word 'helene,' meaning 'torch' or 'light.' This etymological path traces back to the ancient Greek language, where Helenē was associated with brightness and beauty. The name Helen gained prominence in classical literature, particularly through the figure of Helen of Troy, whose story is recounted in Homer's epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, dating back to the 8th century BCE.

The name was later adopted into Latin as Helena, which further influenced its evolution in various languages, including Old French and Middle English, before becoming Ilene in modern English contexts. Throughout history, the name Helen and its variants have been borne by numerous notable figures, including saints and queens.

One significant historical milestone is the veneration of Saint Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, who is credited with finding the True Cross in the 4th century CE. Her legacy contributed to the name's enduring popularity in Christian contexts, particularly in medieval Europe.

The name Helen was also featured in the King James Bible, which was published in 1611, further solidifying its cultural significance in English-speaking regions. Culturally, the name Ilene and its variants have been associated with themes of beauty, light, and inspiration.

The name has often been linked to the idea of illumination, both literally and metaphorically, reflecting the qualities of wisdom and enlightenment. Diminutive forms such as Lena or Ellie have also emerged, showcasing the name's adaptability across different cultures and languages.

Overall, Ilene carries with it a rich historical and cultural resonance, rooted in ancient traditions and significant literary and religious narratives.

Famous people named Ilene

In this section, you will find notable people named Ilene. 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 Ilene who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Ilene 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.

Ilene Chaiken is a television producer and writer best known for The L Word, The Real L Word, and Empire.

Ilene Beckerman is an author and illustrator best known for her book Love, Loss, and What I Wore.

Fictional characters named Ilene

The following list of fictional characters named Ilene 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.

Ilene is a fictional character from the video game series The Legend of Zelda. She is a key supporting character who assists the protagonist in their quest.

Sibling suggestions

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

ElaineIreneLenaSeleneCelineDarlene

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Ilene. 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.

EileenHelenAileenLinaElenaIslaIvyLilaMarlene

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Ilene was first seen in the United States in 1891.

Ilene has ranked as high as #697 nationally, which occurred in 1950, and has been most popular in New York, California, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Illinois.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Ilene 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 Ilene 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 Ilene.

Year Total Births Girl
2025 19 19
2024 22 22
2023 24 24
2022 17 17
2021 14 14
2020 15 15
2019 16 16
2018 21 21
2017 20 20
2016 26 26
2015 34 34
2014 40 40
2013 33 33
2012 45 45
2011 39 39
2010 41 41
2009 38 38
2008 64 64
2007 72 72
2006 74 74
2005 53 53
2004 65 65
2003 67 67
2002 50 50
2001 59 59
2000 65 65
1999 74 74
1998 71 71
1997 47 47
1996 38 38
1995 52 52
1994 35 35
1993 32 32
1992 35 35
1991 65 65
1990 59 59
1989 65 65
1988 59 59
1987 61 61
1986 64 64
1985 71 71
1984 63 63
1983 63 63
1982 55 55
1981 66 66
1980 55 55
1979 59 59
1978 66 66
1977 52 52
1976 71 71
1975 59 59
1974 55 55
1973 70 70
1972 81 81
1971 93 93
1970 112 112
1969 115 115
1968 132 132
1967 153 153
1966 144 144
1965 184 184
1964 206 206
1963 180 180
1962 248 248
1961 230 230
1960 275 275
1959 267 267
1958 293 293
1957 306 306
1956 301 301
1955 324 324
1954 346 346
1953 334 334
1952 383 383
1951 425 425
1950 453 453
1949 385 385
1948 404 404
1947 413 413
1946 386 386
1945 313 313
1944 280 280
1943 272 272
1942 287 287
1941 235 235
1940 227 227
1939 283 283
1938 343 343
1937 248 248
1936 263 263
1935 219 219
1934 224 224
1933 242 242
1932 222 222
1931 284 284
1930 257 257
1929 251 251
1928 272 272
1927 327 327
1926 313 313
1925 271 271
1924 275 275
1923 242 242
1922 241 241
1921 222 222
1920 192 192
1919 206 206
1918 186 186
1917 152 152
1916 138 138
1915 128 128
1914 83 83
1913 63 63
1912 42 42
1911 34 34
1910 33 33
1909 24 24
1908 24 24
1907 22 22
1906 18 18
1905 17 17
1904 14 14
1903 11 11
1902 13 13
1901 11 11
1900 7 7
1899 12 12
1898 6 6
1897 7 7
1896 5 5
1895 6 6
1891 5 5

Top States for Ilene (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
CA 6
55%
TX 5
45%