Leni

Leni is a Germanic and Scandinavian short form of names containing the element lind, meaning tender or soft, most commonly used as a diminutive of Helene, Magdalene, or Pauline. It became widely used as an independent given name across German-speaking countries and Scandinavia during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The name gained international recognition in part through German filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl, though her association with the Nazi regime gave the name complicated cultural weight. Related forms include Lena, Lene, and Lenka.