New Post
Search
Help
ArchivesRe: What is the meaning of illyana?
in reply to a message by Paula
My mom named me from the comics as well. I've seen the name can be light or bright.
1
Replies
It's too long for that. European words meaning light and bright are stems - only one syllable plus the declension (usually dropped - virtually none remain in English). If Illyana is a variant of Greek Helene it may mean torch, or be a variant of Selene "moon", or a compound related to Helios "sun". There's no consensus however and it may not be Hellenic at all, which opens up a wide range of poorly recorded languages neighbouring or preceding early Greek in the Aegean.
On the other hand Illyana may not be a variant of Helene at all, depending on the source. If Russian it may be a feminine diminutive of Ilya, which is the Russian development of Hebrew (E)L(e)Y(a)H, in English Elijah, meaning "(my) god (lit. power) is Yah (an abbreviation of name of the God of Moses)".
On the other hand Illyana may not be a variant of Helene at all, depending on the source. If Russian it may be a feminine diminutive of Ilya, which is the Russian development of Hebrew (E)L(e)Y(a)H, in English Elijah, meaning "(my) god (lit. power) is Yah (an abbreviation of name of the God of Moses)".
2