Charlotte Girl
SHAHR-luht
“free man” · French
#2
Ilona
GirlHungarian, Greek· “Hungarian form of Helen”
- Meaning
- Hungarian form of Helen
- Origin
- Hungarian, Greek
- Pronunciation
- ih-LOH-nuh
- Syllables
- 3
- US rank 2025
- #3,861
- US babies 2025
- 38
- Best rank
- #821 (1946)
- Peak year
- 1946
Meaning and origin of Ilona
Ilona is a Hungarian and Greek name that is usually said to mean “Hungarian form of Helen”.
Ilona is a Hungarian name traditionally treated as a form of Helen, though its origin is debated, and some scholars link it to other roots. Helen comes from the Greek Helene, whose meaning is also uncertain. Ilona Zrínyi, the seventeenth-century Hungarian noblewoman who defended the castle of Munkács against a long siege, is a national heroine. The name is also used in Poland, Finland, the Baltic states and Germany. It is said ih-LOH-nuh in English. Ilka and Ili are Hungarian short forms, and Helena and Elena are the related European forms.
Popularity over time
Ilona first appears in US Social Security records in 1909. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 6 different years, starting in 1940. Its best national rank was #821 in 1946, the same year it reached its highest count of 102 babies. In 2025, 38 babies were named Ilona, and it ranked #3,861 nationally. Its use has been fairly steady over the past decade.
Its national rank moved from #3,768 in 1920, #1,086 in 1950, #3,543 in 1980, #4,453 in 2000, #5,160 in 2010, and #3,861 in 2025. Of the 3,332 US girls named Ilona since records began, 22% were born in the 1940s, its biggest decade. The 1950s come next, with 571 babies. Since 2010, 424 more have been named Ilona.
Other girls' names that peaked around the same time include Elayne, Dayle, Michaele, Cherryl, and Ernestina.
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for girls.
Ilona is usually pronounced ih-LOH-nuh, with three syllables. It has five letters, starts with I and ends in “-na”.
Middle names for Ilona
A few middle names that flow with Ilona: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Ilona
Similar names
Aryana Girl
ahr-ee-AH-nuh
“variant of Ariana; origin uncertain” · Persian
#2,101
Selina Girl
suh-LEE-nuh
“uncertain; possibly moon” · Greek
#1,278
Ariadna Girl
ah-ree-AHD-nah
“most holy (form of Ariadne)” · Spanish
#1,417
Roxana Girl
rahk-SAN-uh
“little star; bright” · Persian
#2,366
Roxanna Girl
rahk-SAN-uh
“bright, shining” · Persian
#2,856
Irina Girl
ih-REE-nuh
“Russian form of Irene, peace” · Russian
#1,636
Corina Girl
kaw-REE-nuh
“maiden” · Greek
#3,921
Illiana Girl
il-ee-AH-nuh
“variant of Iliana” · American (modern coinage)
#2,467
Yelena Girl
yeh-LAY-nuh
“Russian form of Helen” · Russian
#1,807
Arina Girl
uh-REE-nuh
“Russian form of Irina, "peace"” · Russian
#2,654
Elena Girl
eh-LAY-nuh
“form of Helen; meaning uncertain” · Greek
#42
Athena Girl
uh-THEE-nuh
Greek
#109
Lists that include Ilona
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ilona mean?
Ilona is a Hungarian and Greek name that is usually said to mean “Hungarian form of Helen”.
What is the origin of the name Ilona?
Ilona has Hungarian and Greek roots. Ilona is a Hungarian name traditionally treated as a form of Helen, though its origin is debated, and some scholars link it to other roots.
Is Ilona a popular name?
Not especially. Ilona ranked #3,861 in the US in 2025, which puts it outside the top 1,000.
Is Ilona a boy or girl name?
Ilona is mainly a girl's name. In the US it is used almost only for girls.
How do you pronounce Ilona?
Ilona is usually pronounced ih-LOH-nuh. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings