Gender: Feminine
Origin: Belarussian/Finnish
Finn (EH-lee-nah); Germ/Swe/Nor (eh-LEE-nah)
The name is possibly a Finnish and Belorussian form of Helen. It is also a common name in Central Asia, particularly in Chechnya and Uzbekistan, but in this case, the name is of uncertain meaning.
The name may have been popularized in Finland via the 15th-century ballad The Death of Elina (Elina Surma), published by Elias Lönnrot in the Kanteletar (1840). The ballad recounts the murder of Elina by her husband after he finds her with a lover.
It is also the name of a genus of butterfly.
Currently, it is the 35th most popular female name in German-speaking Switerland, (2010). Her rankings in other countries are as follows:
- # 87 (Sweden, 2010)
- # 114 (France, 2009)
- # 115 (Germany, 2011)
- # 317 (Netherlands, 2010)
Other forms of the name include:
The name could be of several different origins and meaning depending on the bearer of the name.
The name is also borne by a very popular 3rd century saint. St. Maurice was an Egyptian by birth and a Roman citizen. He served in the Roman army and was apart of the Theban legions, which had been stationed in Switzerland at the time of the saint’s martyrdom. According to legend, Emperor Maximian ordered Maurice and his legions to destroy a local Christian community, when Maurice and his followers refused to harass fellow Christians, the emperor ordered them to be executed. The area of martyrdom is now known as Saint Maurice-en-Valais and the Abbey of Saint Maurice-en-Valais supposedly houses the saint’s relics.
The saint also gave his name to another town in Switzerland: St. Moritz, (Top of the World), is a beautiful little resort town that sits in the Valley of Engadine and the canton of Graubünden. Their coat of arms actually features the legendary saint. St. Maurice is also venerated among Coptic Christians. In fact, the names Maurice and Maurikios are fairly common among Egyptian Christians.
Gender: Feminine
Gender: Masculine
Gender: Feminine
Gender: Feminine
Gender: Masculine