Message: "Lena" - Behind the Name

Lena

by Trina

5/13/2005, 2:35 AM

My great great grandmother was called Lena but I'm not sure if it was her full name. Some family members seem to think her real name was Evelyn. Lena doesn't seem like an obvious nn for Evelyn, but I guess it could be. Evelyn IS one of my grandmother's middle names so she may have been named after her grandmother.

Anyway, I like Lena but I don't like Magdalena or Helena much. Can anyone think of any other names which could have Lena as a nn? Or what do you think of Lena as a full name?

#Lena

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- Julia (guest)

5/16/2005, 1:52 PM

Hmmm. I assume you're pronouncing it LEE-nah?
Full names for Lena:
Elena (iffy)
Madelena (iffy)
Selena
Angelina
Carolina (cahr-oh-LEE-nuh, not like the state in the USA)
Catalina/Katalina
Emelina/Emalina?
Rosalina
Adelina
Adrina
Alaina?
Celina

- Eva

5/14/2005, 7:53 AM

I think it's a great name, pronunced LEH-nuh.
There's a village next to mine with a hermitage devoted to Sainte Lena, and so there are some Lena-s there, I know three. I think it makes a very good full name.

EVA

- Pink Princess

5/13/2005, 11:13 PM

I love the name Lena, it's great. I like it just as a name on it's own, I mean, it is a full name anyway, so that shouldn't be a problem. I like Magdalena, but not Helena. I can't think of any other names that Lena could be a nn for.

- Urania (guest)

5/13/2005, 2:57 PM

My Great grandmother came from Croatia and had some sort of funky name when she came to America but her name was shortened to Lena.
Any way I love the name as a full name as long as you pronounce it as "Lee-Nuh".
P.S.-Lena is also the name of a Russian river.

- Lissa Hannah (Lissa)

5/13/2005, 11:44 AM

I don't think formal name decisions should revolve around a nickname. If the child doesn't want the nickname, then you may have just settled for a formal name.

I don't care for Lena, but I guess it would work as a formal name. It doesn't have a strong nickname feel to it. If I had to choose a formal name for it, then I'd choose Helena.

-Lissa Hannah-
My !'s = Kipling, Barry, Mortimer, Miles, Marmaduke, Fletcher, Hiram, Maris, Blanche, Gladys, Arlette, Glenda, Juniper, Lulu
My ?'s = Pasquale, Archibald, Humphrey, Nigel, Bernard, Minna, Doris, Shirley, Cordelia, Gertrude

- Bear (guest)

5/13/2005, 11:38 AM

I've always like Lena on its own. It's traditionally a nn for Helen/Helena, but I can see it standing alone too.

- Ciarda85 (Ciarda)

5/13/2005, 11:32 AM

I love the name Lena, and actually my great-grandmother was named Evalina nickname Lina.

Names you could use as full versions:
Elena
Milena
Selena

For nickname Lina:
Angelina
Catalina
Emelina
Evelina
Galina
Malina
Melina
Rosalina

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- shangrila_la

5/13/2005, 11:24 AM

Elena, Eleni, or maybe Melena (I know someone named this. It's like Melina. Her real name is Michalena or something)

- BrookeMD

5/13/2005, 7:46 AM

Lena is a beautiful name and I think it works best as a full first name. My great-aunt was named Lena Mae.

- Miss Claire

5/13/2005, 6:17 AM

I find Lena cute. I also love Lina and Helena.

~~ Claire ~~

My dear ! are Alia, Eidel, Enola, Israel, Dudel and Yuri.

- mariej2

5/13/2005, 5:28 AM

What about Elaine or Elena?

"Dance like no one's watching."
This is a favorite quote of mine

- Integrity (nafer1)

5/13/2005, 3:40 AM

I've known people with their full first name as Lena, on theri birth certificate. So to me it is perfectly fine to be used as a full name. So you don't need another name and have it just as a nn.

I like Lena, the Lena's I've known have been lovely.

:o)

Nai

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