
The short answer
Lena is a feminine name used in Swedish and Norwegian. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Short form of names ending in lena, such as Helena, Magdalena or Yelena. It is often used independently." It ranked #279 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, short form of names ending in lena, such as Helena, Magdalena or Yelena. It is often used independently. The entry lists its usage as Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German and others.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Lena ranked #279 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #279 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (Swedish) and that sit near Lena in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Lena mean?
Behind the Name does not give Lena a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: short form of names ending in lena, such as Helena, Magdalena or Yelena.
Is Lena a popular name?
Lena ranked #279 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Lena a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Lena appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it feminine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Lena — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.