How to say it
mi · LE · na
miˈleɪ.nə
Feminine
Milena
Gracious, dear
What it means
A Slavic name from the root mil, 'gracious,' 'dear,' or 'beloved.'
Milena is a Slavic feminine name built on the root mil, meaning 'gracious,' 'dear,' or 'beloved.' It is the feminine counterpart to Milan, and it echoes longer names in the same family like Miloslav ('gracious glory'). The name has been used for centuries across Czech, Slovak, Serbian, Croatian, Russian, and other Slavic cultures. It carries warm associations of kindness and favor. In the US it eased to rank 950 in 2025.
How to spell Milena
The standard spelling is Milena. Common variants include Mila, Milana, Milenka, but Milena is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #678 in 2019, currently #950 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pronunciation
Commonly mi-LAY-nah; some Slavic speakers say mi-LEH-nah.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Milena Jesenska Czech journalist, translator, and anti-Nazi resistance figure
Spelling variants
- Mila
- Milana
- Milenka
Names with the same feeling
See Milena from another angle
By meaning
Common questions
- What does the name Milena mean?
- A Slavic name from the root mil, 'gracious,' 'dear,' or 'beloved.'
- What does Milena mean in Slavic?
- In Slavic, Milena means "Gracious, dear." Milena is a Slavic feminine name built on the root mil, meaning 'gracious,' 'dear,' or 'beloved.' It is the feminine counterpart to Milan, and it echoes longer names in the same family like Miloslav ('gracious glory'). The name has been used for centuries across Czech, Slovak, Serbian, Croatian, Russian, and other Slavic cultures. It carries warm associations of kindness and favor. In the US it eased to rank 950 in 2025.
- How do you pronounce Milena?
- Milena is pronounced miˈleɪ.nə. Say it as mi-LE-na, with the stress on the "le" syllable.
- How do you spell Milena?
- The standard spelling is Milena. Common spelling variants include Mila, Milana, Milenka.
- Is Milena a boy or girl name?
- Milena is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Milena?
- Milena ranked #950 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.