Elena

Elena is the Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Slavic, and Greek form of Helen, derived from the ancient Greek name Helene, whose root is debated but most often linked to the Greek word helene, meaning torch or bright light, or possibly to Helenos, a name connected to the sun or the moon. The name gained widespread prominence through Helen of Troy, the legendary Mycenaean queen whose abduction sparked the Trojan War in Greek mythology, and was further spread across Europe through early Christian saints bearing the name, most notably Saint Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great. Elena remains one of the most widely used feminine names across Europe and Latin America today. Related forms include Helen, Eleanor, Ellen, Helena, Helene, Eleni, and the Latvian Elēna.