Ilona
[iˈloʊ.nə]Meaning
Hungarian form of Helen, from Greek Helenē, interpreted as "torch", "light" or "shining one".
Background Story
Ilona is the Hungarian form of the Greek name Helenē, and it likely entered Hungarian through Slavic intermediaries such as Jelena. It is a feminine given name used primarily in Hungary and Finland and elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe, and in Finland it is associated with ilo, the word for joy, though that link is a folk etymology rather than a linguistic relation to the Greek origin. In Hungarian folklore Ilona is the name of the Queen of the Fairies.
Theme
Variations
Ilona, Ilonae
Related Names
Inska
Olena
Ukrainian form of Helen, from Greek, meaning "sun ray" or "shining light".
Ailyn
A variation of the name Aileen, meaning 'bright, shining light'
Ajana
Recorded as a given name in modern English (rare), feminine
Alani
A Hawaiian name meaning 'orange tree' or 'peaceful'
Alena
Short form of Magdalena or Helena; Belarusian form of Helen
Ariya
A variant of Aria 1 or Arya 2
Ayana
A given name; Behind the Name lists it as a feminine form of Ayan 2 and a variant of Ayanna
Belia
Recorded as a feminine given name in Medieval Jewish, Dutch and other languages
Carys
From Welsh caru, "to love"