Updated November 2026
Across 9 pages
of 9
Diminutive of Leonard, Eleanor, or Helen
"brave lion; light, shining torch"
An "old-man" nickname for girls, Lennie could feel as fresh as Billie, Scottie, and Stevie — and if the 100 Year Rule is anything to go by, it may well be time for it to come back round, having been…
Diminutive of Elaine
"bright shining one"
Lainie is a nickname for Elaine that has been in the public eye via Lainie Kazan (that was her full given name), who was a popular singer in the 1960s and 1970s (she was Barbra Streisand's understudy…
Romanian, from Greek
"torch; shining light"
A trendy and fashionable-sounding Romanian name with rich history. There was a mythical Romanian princess with the name, and it was also a name used by real-life Romanian royalty.
German
"bright, shining intellect"
A name that sounds so old-fashioned some parents out there might conceivably find it quirky enough for a comeback, along with other one-time fuddie-duddies like Oscar and Homer. Along with other…
French variation of Helen
"bright, shining one"
Whether it's pronounced with an "een" or an "aine" or an "enn" sound at the end, Helene doesn't feel as current the more forthright Helen or the airier Helena. Helene reached a high of Number 228 in…
Hungarian variation of Helen, Finnish
"shining torch; light; joy"
This variant of Helen is used across Europe, in France, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, and it's native Hungary. Reminiscent of Elena, Leona, Ilaria, Fiona and Lola, it nevertheless remains a rarity in…
Finnish and Sami variation of Helga, diminutive of Aileen, Anglicization of Eilidh
"holy, blessed; bright and shining light"
An attractive Scandinavian take on Helga, or a potential Helen nickname.
English diminutive of Cornelia, Eleanor, Helena, or McNeilly, English, Scottish
"horn; shining torch; son of the poet"
A nickname style name, Neely could derive from the strong sounding Cornelia, as a playful alternative to Nelly from Eleanor and Helena, or as a variation of the Scottish surname McNeilly, with the…
Variation of Nell, English
Nelle, typically pronounced like the one-syllable Nell, is an elegant form of the name used by author Nelle Harper Lee, who wrote To Kill A Mockingbird . With whatever spelling, Nell/Nelle is a…
Literature, Greek
"shining light, torch"
One of several names from George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire and it's television spin-off, House of the Dragon that have begun to catch on in recent years. Visually similar to classic…
Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish variation of Eleanor, meaning unknown, or Elin, Swedish variation of Ellen
"torch, shining light"
Eleanor is a rising classic in the US, and the similarly-pronounced Ellinor is a favorite in Sweden and Norway. While Eleanor is not considered one of the many Helen variations, some sources say that…
Arabic
"bright, shining"
A pretty and international Arabic girls' name with an appealing luminous meaning.
Sanskrit
"shining goddess"
This beautiful celestial Indian name had a rise in 2022, following in the trends of other "-ani" ending names like Leilani and Imani. The character Devi from the hit show "Never Have I Ever"…
Literary name or variation of Olena, Ukrainian
"light, shining torch"
Likely inspired by the Ukrainian form of Helen, Olena, George R. R. Martin used this spelling for a character in his "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. The name first appeared in the US stats in 2017,…
English, combination of Mary and Ellen
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + shining light"
A gentle old-fashioned compound name that has never been epidemically popular, but is now almost unused. The meaning of Mary is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots…
Ukrainian, Hawaiian
"torch, shining light; turmeric, yellow, ginger"
This chic Ukrainian form of Helen is relatively unknown outside of its native country, but it definitely has international appeal. Olia or Olenka are the usual Ukrainian diminutives, but tomboyish…
Variation of Alanis and Ailany, Spanish
"handsome, cheerful; high chief; shining light, of the moon"
2024 was the year of Ailany and its many variations and alternative spellings, Aylanis being one of them. Inspired Hawaiian Ailani, Turkish Aylin, and the Irish names Alan, Aileen, and Alanis, this…
English variation of Eileen, Irish
"desired, water, island; light, shining torch"
Eileen is technically already an Anglicization of Eibhlin, the Gaelic form of Aveline, that may additionally be considered a variation of Helen. This form streamlines the spelling further, drawing…
Variation of Eliane or Eliana, English
"sun; my God has answered; bright, shining grace"
Blending classic sounds and a modern feel, Elianne could be considered a variation of the sunny Eliane and Aeliana or a form of the spiritual Hebrew name, Eliana. Alternatively, it may be a compound…
One of many variants of the Hawaiian-Spanish-Turkish-Irish fusion, Ailani, that made waves in 2024. This form also brings in an element of Alanis and Alan.