Ilona

Ilona is a Hungarian variant of the Greek name Helena, which came into use in the 19th century.

What does the name Ilona mean?

Ilona, as the Hungarian form of the Greek name Helena or the German Helene, carries meanings such as "the sunlit", "the radiant", "the shining", "the bright", "the beautiful", "the torch", or even "the moon". The origin of the name lies in Ancient Greek and is derived from the terms helénē (ἑλένη) for "the torch", "the light", and "the shine", hēlios (ἥλιος) for "the sun", "the sunlight", and "the sunbeams", as well as selēnē (σελήνη) for "the moon". In the 1950s, the name enjoyed great popularity in Germany, but today it is rarely given. There are numerous variants, including Jelena, Yelena, Yalena, Illona, Ilon, Ylona, Ylenia, Ilena, Ileana, Ilenia, Yelene, Jelene, Yellena, Jelenka, Jelka, Ilenka, Ylenka, Alenka, Olena, Olenna, Olenka, Jelin, Jelina, Ilonka, Ilka, Ilca, and Iluska. The name became known through Greek mythology, where Helena is considered the daughter of Zeus and Leda and is regarded as the most beautiful woman in the world. There is also a possible original connection to Helios, the sun god in Greek mythology.

Where does the name Ilona come from?

Ilona is a feminine name of Greek origin that carries the meaning "the sunlit" or "the shining".

How do you pronounce Ilona?

The pronunciation of Ilona is three syllables and sounds soft and melodic. In German, the name is usually pronounced as "I-lo-na" [iˈloːna]. The clear I sound at the beginning conveys freshness, while the long "o" in the middle syllable provides a harmonious, full timbre. Ilona thus radiates a calm elegance – gentle, smooth, and present.

When is the name day of Ilona?

The name days for Ilona are celebrated on April 26, May 21, August 18, October 29, and November 15.

Popularity

Ilona is a commonly chosen name in Germany and currently ranks 1,107th on the list of the most popular female baby names. Its best ranking was in 1930 at 162nd place. In the last ten years, Ilona has been given as a first name about 330 times, placing it 1,144th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 995th. Its worldwide popularity has been reflected in various countries in recent years.

Nicknames & pet names

Filönchen / Iila / Ilchen / Ile / Ili / Illo / Illonus / Illy / Ilo / Iloen / Ilonci / Iloni / Ilonka / Ilonschka / Ily / Ilä / Ilönchen / J-loni / Lilly / Lilo / Loenchen / Lola / Loli / Lolle / Lolo / Lona / Loni / Lonie / Lönchen / Löneli

Similar first names

Famous people

• Gitta Ilona Sack (German model)
• Ilona Alexandrowna Bronewizkaja (Russian actress, singer, and presenter)
• Ilona Brand (German luger)
• Ilona Brege (Latvian composer)
• Ilona Bruzsenyák (Former Hungarian athlete)
• Ilona Christen (German television journalist and presenter)
• Ilona Dörr (Hessian politician)
• Ilona Dröger (Polish volleyball player)
• Ilona Einwohlt (German writer)
• Ilona Elek (Hungarian foil fencer)
• Ilona Felicjanska (Polish model)
• Ilona Grübel (Actress)
• Ilona Gusenbauer (Austrian athlete)
• Ilona Haberkamp (Jazz musician from Germany)
• Ilona Harima (Finnish artist)
• Ilona Hegedus (Hungarian writer)
• Ilona Hoeksma (South Korean cyclist)
• Ilona Jeismann (German radio author)
• Ilona Kabos (German pianist)
• Ilona Kasdepke (German politician)