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ArchivesElana meaning?
I've been researching the name Elana recently and have discovered several different meanings and origins. So, if you can help, which of these are correct, if any? If none of the are correct, than what is the real meaning?
- Variant of Elena, or another Spanish form of Helen
- Means "light" in Latin
- Hebrew origin, a variant of Ilana, meaning "tree"
Thank you in advance! :-)
Edited... because I misspelled something.
Andrew
- Variant of Elena, or another Spanish form of Helen
- Means "light" in Latin
- Hebrew origin, a variant of Ilana, meaning "tree"
Thank you in advance! :-)
Edited... because I misspelled something.
This message was edited 9/11/2006, 2:06 PM
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Replies
The "Latin for light" idea is a bit scrambled ... I'd explain it this way.
In Latin, light = lux. This gives us names like Lucy.
In Greek, Helen is linked to Hellen = fair-haired - how accurately, I don't know, but it's a common perception. People might well decide to name their twins Helen and Lucy so their names could "mean the same"; from that kind of idea to identifying Elana with Helen and Helen with Lucy would be a small step indeed for some naming sites.
In Latin, light = lux. This gives us names like Lucy.
In Greek, Helen is linked to Hellen = fair-haired - how accurately, I don't know, but it's a common perception. People might well decide to name their twins Helen and Lucy so their names could "mean the same"; from that kind of idea to identifying Elana with Helen and Helen with Lucy would be a small step indeed for some naming sites.
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Diccionario de Nombres de Personas by Jose Albaiges Olivart lists Elano as another Spanish form of Helanio/Helena. Usually names ending in -o in that dictionary are simply assumed to have feminine forms ending in -a even when those are not directly listed, so I guess Elana must be considered another Spanish form of Helen.
Smadar Shir Sidi's The Complete Book of Hebrew Baby Names does not list Elana as a form of Ilana, but I can certainly see how parents in English speaking countries would be tempted to respell Ilana as Elana, since the pronunciation of the name is "ee-LAH-nah".
Smadar Shir Sidi's The Complete Book of Hebrew Baby Names does not list Elana as a form of Ilana, but I can certainly see how parents in English speaking countries would be tempted to respell Ilana as Elana, since the pronunciation of the name is "ee-LAH-nah".
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#2 looks off. There are several words for "light" in Latin, but they don't resemble Elana.
I'm afraid I don't know about the rest!
I'm afraid I don't know about the rest!
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