Elena
Girl name · #42 in 2025 · Uniqueness 32/100
Elena is currently the #42 girl name in the United States — 4,836 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #106, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 372 girls born in 2025 was named Elena.
Babies named Elena per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Elena first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 8 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 4,836 babies and a rank of #42. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Elena against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Elena in class?
Elena scores 32 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "popular" band. A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Elena is most common
Geography matters for names, and Elena is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Elenas were CA (809), TX (786), FL (355), NY (222), IL (206). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Elena
Statistically, parents drawn to Elena tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Athena, Emilia, Gianna, Valentina, and Liliana.
AthenaEmiliaGiannaValentinaLilianaAlinaElizaLucia
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Elena | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,836 | #42 |
| 2024 | 4,577 | #46 |
| 2023 | 4,276 | #47 |
| 2022 | 4,290 | #49 |
| 2021 | 4,283 | #53 |
| 2020 | 3,930 | #55 |
| 2019 | 3,949 | #60 |
| 2018 | 3,776 | #67 |
| 2017 | 3,882 | #68 |
| 2016 | 3,190 | #94 |
| 2015 | 2,898 | #106 |
| 2014 | 2,616 | #121 |
| 2013 | 2,393 | #132 |
| 2012 | 2,275 | #139 |
| 2011 | 1,939 | #160 |
| 2010 | 1,886 | #164 |
| 2009 | 1,685 | #195 |
| 2008 | 1,627 | #209 |
| 2007 | 1,744 | #192 |
| 2006 | 1,875 | #187 |
| 2005 | 1,604 | #217 |
| 2004 | 1,584 | #215 |
| 2003 | 1,464 | #222 |
| 2002 | 1,358 | #233 |
| 2001 | 1,392 | #228 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Elena a popular girl name?
Elena ranked #42 among girls in 2025 with 4,836 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #106.
When was the name Elena most popular?
Elena peaked in 2025, when 4,836 American girls received the name (ranked #42 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Elena?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 372 newborn American girls was named Elena. It scores 32/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "popular".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.