Malena

Malena is a Scandinavian and Spanish contracted form of Magdalena, itself derived from the Hebrew place name Migdal, meaning tower, referring to the town of Magdala on the Sea of Galilee. The name gained wide recognition through Mary Magdalene, the biblical figure who became one of the most prominent followers of Jesus. Malena enjoyed particular cultural visibility through the 1960 Swedish film of the same name and later an Italian film released in 2000. Related forms include Magdalena, Magdalene, Marlena, and Lena.