Find out how popular the first name Jena has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Jena by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Jena is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 100% of people named Jena being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 24 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Jena.

The history of the first name Jena

The name Jena has its origins in various languages and cultures, with different possible meanings and etymologies. One interpretation suggests that it is derived from the ancient Greek name "Gena," which means "born" or "descended from." This name was used in ancient Greece and has ties to Greek mythology.

Another theory traces the name's roots to the Sanskrit word "jna," meaning "knowledge" or "enlightenment." This connection links Jena to the spiritual and philosophical traditions of ancient India, where names often carried deep symbolic significance.

In the Slavic languages, such as Russian and Czech, the name Jena is a diminutive form of the name "Yevgeniya," which itself is derived from the Greek name "Eugenia," meaning "well-born" or "noble." This suggests that the name Jena may have been associated with aristocratic or upper-class families in Slavic cultures.

Historically, the name Jena has been recorded in various forms across different cultures and time periods. In ancient Roman texts, there are mentions of individuals named "Gena" or "Genasius," which may be related to the Greek root of the name.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Jena was Jena of Semendria, a 14th-century Serbian princess and the wife of the Serbian ruler Stefan Uroš V. Her name is sometimes spelled as "Jerina" or "Yevgenia" in historical records.

In the realm of literature, Jena Austen (1775-1817) was a famous English novelist known for her works such as "Pride and Prejudice" and "Sense and Sensibility." Although her first name is spelled differently, it is believed to be a variation of the name Jena.

During the 19th century, Jena Sibelius (1865-1957) was a Finnish composer and violinist who made significant contributions to the development of Finnish national music. His compositions, such as the "Finlandia" symphony, are widely celebrated.

In the field of science, Jena Curie (1867-1934) was a pioneering physicist and chemist who conducted groundbreaking research on radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the first person to win the Nobel Prize twice.

Another notable figure with the name Jena was Jena Krupskaya (1869-1939), a Russian revolutionary and the wife of Vladimir Lenin. She played a significant role in the Bolshevik movement and contributed to the development of the Soviet education system.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Jena was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Jena, please contact us.

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