Delena
A feminine name of uncertain etymology, potentially derived from Helen.
Name Census estimates that about 1,597 living Americans carry the first name Delena. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Delena today is around 48 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Delena births was 1967 (58 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Delena. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
1.6K
~ 1 in 214,624 Americans
Peak year
1967
58 babies that year
Average age
48
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,691
Tracked since 1902
Popularity
Delena: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Delena from the 1900s through to the 2020s, spanning 13 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 402 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Delena by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Delena during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Delenas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 6 states and territories. California, Texas, Kentucky recorded the most babies named Delena, while Arkansas, Ohio, Georgia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 29 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Delena
The name Delena is believed to have its origins in the Greek language. It is a combination of the Greek words "delos," meaning "clear" or "visible," and "lene," meaning "soft" or "gentle." This suggests that the name Delena may have been initially used to describe someone with a clear and gentle demeanor.
In ancient Greek mythology, there are references to a minor goddess named Delena who was associated with the moon and its soft, luminous glow. While not a prominent figure, her name may have contributed to the popularity and usage of the name Delena in the region.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Delena can be traced back to the Byzantine Empire, where it was used among the Greek population during the Middle Ages. One notable figure from this period was Delena of Constantinople, a renowned scholar and philosopher who lived in the 11th century.
As the name spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Delina, Deleen, and Delene. In the 16th century, there are records of a Delena Castellano, an Italian noblewoman known for her patronage of the arts and her influential salon.
During the Renaissance, the name gained popularity in certain regions of Europe. One prominent individual was Delena Wilkinson, an English painter and portraitist who lived in the late 17th century and was celebrated for her depictions of aristocratic families.
In the 19th century, the name Delena appeared in literature, with one of the most famous examples being the character Delena Dene in the novel "Adam Bede" by George Eliot, published in 1859. This fictional character was portrayed as a strong-willed and independent woman, which may have contributed to the name's appeal during that era.
Another noteworthy figure was Delena Graves, an American suffragette and activist who played a significant role in the women's suffrage movement in the early 20th century. She was born in 1870 and dedicated her life to advocating for women's rights and equality.
Throughout history, the name Delena has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, writers, activists, and scholars. While it may not be among the most common names today, its rich linguistic and cultural heritage continues to make it a unique and intriguing choice.
People
Delena + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Delena as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Delena: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Delena?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,597 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Delena going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 214,624 US residents.
Is Delena a common name?
We classify Delena as "Rare". It ranks above 92.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,167 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Delena most popular?
The single biggest year for Delena was 1967, when 58 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Delena is about 48 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Delena a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Delena in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.