Lena

From Helena, possibly linked to light; or Magdalena, ‘of Magdala’.

Lena is a feminine name with more than one route: it can shorten Helena or Magdalena and is also used on its own. Helena belongs to the Greek Helen family, whose ancient meaning is uncertain, often connected with ‘torch’ or light. Magdalena instead means ‘of Magdala’. That distinction matters if Lena is chosen to honour a relative. It can echo either longer name without carrying both meanings at once. Its flowing l and n make the short form feel affectionate and unforced. German Lena is /ˈleː.na/, with a long e; an English pronunciation is /ˈliː.nə/, roughly ‘LEE-nuh’. The spelling stays spare, while that first vowel gives the name a different colour in each language.

Etymology: A short form of Helena or Magdalena, also used independently. The two source names have different origins.