Marlena Shaw (born Marlina Burgess) is an American jazz, blues and soul singer. Shaw began her singing career in the 1960s and is still singing today. Her music has often been sampled in hip hop music, and used in television commercials.
Throughout the Italian rock band Måneskin’s album “Il ballo della vita,” the lyrics make frequent reference to “Marlena.” According to the band, Marlena represents them, their fans, beauty, love, etc. In their songs, it is pronounced mar-LEH-nah (mar.ˈlɛ̃.na).
Marlene Dietrich pronounced hers Mar-Lay-Na even though it's not spelled that way. My mother gave me my middle name after her, Marlene, but pronounced it Mar-Leen. I changed it to Marlena, pronounced Mar-Lay-Na. I love it now.
There's a song by The Wallflowers called "Three Marlenas" on their 1996 album Bringing Down the Horse. In the song, the name is pronounced "mar-LAY-na." That's how I've always pronounced it as well. A beautiful name and a beautiful song!
― Anonymous User 2/12/2016
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I love this name, so beautiful and sophisticated. I prefer the Mar-LAY-nah spelling, but also like Mar-LEE-nah.
― Anonymous User 6/15/2015
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This is my name and it's pronounced (Mar-LAY-nah). I think it sounds more elegant that way.
I love the name Marlena, it's so gorgeous and pretty and can be shortened to Lena, which I love as well. Also Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen is an awesome, recommended book too. Awesome name!
I like it. It's feminine without sounding ditzy and frilly. It also sounds like the name of a girl who is nice and down to earth. I don't like how Christian it is, though.
The accurate meaning of the name Marlena is "bittersweet".
― Anonymous User 12/30/2008
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Marlena is currently my second favorite name. Marlena Diamond was Lizzy Caplan's character in Cloverfield, and Marlena was also a character in Sara Gruen's bestseller "Water for Elephants".