Dictionary

Ellen en · PROPN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈɛl.ən/
• /ˈɛl.ɪn/

Etymology

Medieval English variant of Helen, from Ancient Greek Ἑλένη (Helénē); also used as a variant of Eleanor or a feminine counterpart to Elliot.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A female given name from Ancient Greek.
   • Ellen Page gives a star-making performance as a 16-year-old live wire who decides to go through with her pregnancy and seeks acceptably well-adjusted, wealthy, punk-rock loving parents for the unborn baby. 2007 September 10, “Review: Jones, Coens, Penn highlight Toronto”, in CNN:
   • And how doth my cousin, your bedfellow? and your fairest daughter and mine, my god-daughter Ellen? c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv]:
   • "Is her name Ellen or Helen, Miss Viner? I thought - " Miss Viner closed her eyes. "I can sound my h's, dear, as well as anyone, but Helen is not a suitable name for a servant. I don't know what the mothers in the lower classes are coming to nowadays." 1928, Agatha Christie, The Mystery of the Blue Train:
2. (countable, uncountable) A river in Cumberland district, Cumbria, England, that flows into the Solway Firth at Maryport.

Forms

Deriveds

Port Ellen · Ellenburg · Ellenesque · Suellen

Descendants

ʻElena

Translations (13)

da Ellen (female given name) · ga Eibhlín (female given name) · et Ellen (female given name) · de Ellen (female given name) · ru Алёна (female given name) · uk Альона (female given name) · izh Olena (female given name) · fi Ellen (female given name) · ca Elena (female given name) · mi Erana (female given name) · izh Jelena (female given name) · no Ellen (female given name) · sv Ellen (female given name)