Elena
Girl name · #42 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Elena? In official American birth records, Elena has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Elena is currently the #42 girl name in the United States — 4,836 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #106, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 372 girls born in 2025 was named Elena.
Babies named Elena per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Elena first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 8 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 4,836 babies and a rank of #42. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Elena against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Elena in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Elena is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Elena is most common
Geography matters for names, and Elena is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Elena is most common in NM (8.1 per 1,000), RI (6.9 per 1,000), DC (5.9 per 1,000), AZ (5.4 per 1,000), DE (5.3 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 3.7 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Elena is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Elena
Statistically, parents drawn to Elena tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Athena, Emilia, Gianna, Valentina, and Liliana.
AthenaEmiliaGiannaValentinaLilianaAlinaElizaLucia
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Elena | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,836 | #42 |
| 2024 | 4,577 | #46 |
| 2023 | 4,276 | #47 |
| 2022 | 4,290 | #49 |
| 2021 | 4,283 | #53 |
| 2020 | 3,930 | #55 |
| 2019 | 3,949 | #60 |
| 2018 | 3,776 | #67 |
| 2017 | 3,882 | #68 |
| 2016 | 3,190 | #94 |
| 2015 | 2,898 | #106 |
| 2014 | 2,616 | #121 |
| 2013 | 2,393 | #132 |
| 2012 | 2,275 | #139 |
| 2011 | 1,939 | #160 |
| 2010 | 1,886 | #164 |
| 2009 | 1,685 | #195 |
| 2008 | 1,627 | #209 |
| 2007 | 1,744 | #192 |
| 2006 | 1,875 | #187 |
| 2005 | 1,604 | #217 |
| 2004 | 1,584 | #215 |
| 2003 | 1,464 | #222 |
| 2002 | 1,358 | #233 |
| 2001 | 1,392 | #228 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Elena?
In official American birth records, the name Elena first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 8 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Elena a popular girl name?
Elena ranked #42 among girls in 2025 with 4,836 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #106.
When was the name Elena most popular?
Elena peaked in 2025, when 4,836 American girls received the name (ranked #42 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Elena?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 372 newborn American girls was named Elena. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.