Milena has been a popular name throughout Europe for a couple of centuries, but it feels like a modern option in America. The baby name did not even find a spot on the Social Security Popularity Index until 2012. Despite this, it has an appeal to parents who want an international-sounding name.
Meaning and Origin of the name Milena:
Milena is a girl's name of Slavic origin meaning “gracious,” “loving,” or “kind.”
Milena originates from Slavic countries and is the female version of the name Milan. This name is derived from the Slavic element mil (meaning “gracious,” “loving,” and “kind”). The first individual who aided in the popularization of the name was the Italian Milena Vukotic who was queen to King Victor Emmanuel III.
Symbolism of the name Milena:
The baby names Milena and Milan have the same meaning. They come from the Slavic word milŭ. This translates to “dear,” “sweet,” or “grace.” These meanings correlate with the word “love.”
Nicknames for the name Milena:
Milena is a beautiful girl's name that sounds unique and exotic. You have many options when looking for a cute nickname for Milena. To help you in your search, we put together this list of nicknames. All of these options are so adorable that you might find it difficult to pick just one.
Style of the name Milena:
Traditional
Gender of the name Milena:
Milena is a very European name for girls.
Pronunciation of the name Milena:
MI-leh-na or MEE-leh-na
Number of syllables in the name Milena:
Three
Emotion evoked from the name Milena:
Milena feels beautiful, unique, and refined. It does have that eastern European feel too, especially when considering the origins.
Alternative spellings for the name Milena:
- Millena
- Mylena
- Myllena
- Milina
- Mylina
Popularity of the name Milena:
The baby name Milena became rank 970 in 2012, making its first appearance on the top 1,000 list in America. In 2019, Milena received its highest rank at 680. In 2020, however, it dipped back down to number 821.
Related names for the name Milena:
Great middle names for Milena and their meanings:
- Liliana (lily)
- Lucille (light)
- Kalani (heavens, sky, royal one)
- Paola (small)
- Carmen (our lady of Carmel)
- Leonore (sun ray)
- Katerina (pure)
Famous people with the name Milena:
- Milena Kunis (actress, “Black Swan”)
- Milena Govich (actress, “Conviction”)
- Milena Jesenska (subject of “Letters to Milena”, journalist)
- Milena Rosner (volleyball player)
- Milena Toscano (professional model)
- Milena Pavlovic (painter)
Milenas in popular culture:
- Queen Milena of Tamarang (character from “The Sword of Truth”)
The image featured at the top of this post is ©iStock.com/Tntk.