UK girl's name
Jelena
A feminine name of Serbian origin meaning "bright one" or "shining light".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Jelena is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Jelena popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5765, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2004, with 11 births.
This profile covers 71 England and Wales registrations across 14 recorded years from 1996 to 2017. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 27% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 71 living people in the UK are called Jelena. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2018 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Jelena ranked #5765 for girls in England and Wales in 2017, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2004, when 11 girls were registered as Jelena.
- • About 71 living people in the UK are estimated to have Jelena as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5765
2017
Births in 2017
3
Latest year
Peak year
2004
11 births
Estimated living
71
2026
Meaning
What does Jelena mean?
The name Jelena originated from the Slavic languages, derived from the Greek name Helena, which itself comes from the Greek word "helene" meaning "bright" or "shining light." The earliest known use of the name dates back to the 4th century BCE, when it was mentioned in Greek mythology as the name of the beautiful Helen of Troy, whose abduction sparked the Trojan War.
In the Byzantine Empire, the name Helena was widely used among the nobility and royalty, and it later spread to the Slavic regions through the influence of Christianity. The Slavic variation, Jelena, became popular in countries such as Russia, Serbia, Croatia, and Bulgaria.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jelena comes from the 11th century, when Princess Jelena of Serbia, the wife of King Mihailo I, was known for her influential role in the spread of Christianity and the construction of churches and monasteries in medieval Serbia.
In the 12th century, Grand Princess Yelena Vsevolodovna of Vladimir-Suzdal was a prominent figure in Kievan Rus', known for her patronage of the arts and her support of the Orthodox Church. She was born in 1182 and died in 1243.
Another notable Jelena was Jelena Anjou, the Queen of Hungary from 1235 to 1238. She was born in 1236 and played a significant role in the political affairs of the Kingdom of Hungary during her brief reign.
In the 14th century, Jelena Gruba, a Serbian princess, was the wife of Tsar Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria. She was born in 1347 and was known for her involvement in the cultural and religious life of the Bulgarian Empire.
During the Renaissance period, Jelena Lukić-Orlović, a Serbian noblewoman and writer, was a prominent figure in the literary circles of her time. She was born in 1585 and is considered one of the earliest female writers in Serbian literature.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Jelena, a name that has transcended borders and cultures, carrying with it a rich history and cultural significance from its ancient Greek roots to its Slavic adaptations.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Jelena over time
The chart below shows babies named Jelena registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2017. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Jelena, the clearest high point is 2004. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2017, compared with 11 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jelena by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Jelena was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #5752 | 9 | 3 |
| 2000s | #3156 | 47 | 8 |
| 1990s | #2768 | 15 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Jelena
- Jessica 105,041
- Jasmine 35,227
- Jade 19,646
- Julia 11,780
- Jennifer 11,529
- Jodie 9,357
- Jemima 6,454
- Josephine 5,889
- Jessie 5,418
- Josie 5,284
- Jasmin 4,706
- Jenna 4,646
FAQ
Jelena: questions and answers
How popular is the name Jelena in the UK right now?
In 2017, Jelena was ranked #5765 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Jelena most popular?
The peak year on record was 2004, with 11 babies registered as Jelena in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Jelena?
A feminine name of Serbian origin meaning "bright one" or "shining light".
How many people are called Jelena in the UK?
A total of 71 babies have been registered as Jelena across the 14 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.