Search for names here!
Origin, Meaning, And History Of Aileen
Aileen is a feminine given name of Irish origin, which means ‘bright.’ Many Irish or Scottish Americans still find Aileen to be a desirable option for their babies. Aileen also has Scottish and Turkish origins. In Scottish, Aileen means ‘light,’ while in Turkish, it means ‘halo of the moon.’ The name is most commonly used in Ireland.
Many people assume that the name Aileen derives from Helen, which means ‘ray or sunbeam.’ It is also thought to be a variant of ‘Helios,’ which is the Greek word personifying the ‘sun.’ There is some debate about whether Helen’s name derives from the Greek word ‘Hellēn.’
Aileen, which is a variant spelling of Eileen, is an English translation of Eibhlin and Eilidh, the Gaelic variants of the feminine name Helen, widely used in Ireland and Scotland, respectively. Helen, which comes from the Greek word Hēlēnē, was the stunning Spartan queen whose theft by Paris launched the legendary Trojan War.
Since the late 19th century, the name Aileen has remained popular among American parents. The popularity of the name Aileen peaked in the 1900s and 2000s. In the 1930s, the name Eileen was introduced. Since Eileen had an identical spelling and pronunciation to Aileen, it quickly became popular on the US charts. Nevertheless, over the years, Aileen proves to be more resilient than Eileen. Although the name never reached the list of top names, it has been able to maintain a respectable level of consumption.
There is a remarkable amount of diversity of English counterpart names for the ancient Greek name Helen. This ancient Greek name has given rise to other variants across Europe, including Helen, Hélène, Ellen, Elena, Eileen, Eleanor, Ella, and Nell. Although neither Eileen nor Aileen are highly common among English speakers, the Scottish variant, Eilidh, continues to be a favorite pick in Scotland.
In the fictional world, Aileen is a female alien and agent in the American TV series Men in Black: The Series. Aileen Morgan is a character in the American thriller television series Homeland, played by Marin Yvonne Ireland.
How To Pronounce Aileen?
Famous People With The Name Aileen
- Aileen Marie QuinnAmerican actress, singer, and dancer, best known for her role as the title character in the 1982 film Annie
- Aileen Lucia FisherAmerican writer, wrote more than a hundred children’s books, including poetry, picture books, prose, biographies, and plays
- Aileen Yvonne PalmerBritish Australian poet and diarist, worked as an interpreter during the Spanish Civil War for a mobile hospital
- Mary Aileen Conquest-AllenAmerican diver, competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics
- Aileen PringleAmerican stage and film actress during the silent film era
Aileen On The Popularity Chart
The name Aileen has seen consistent fluctuations in its popularity and ranking between the 1980s and 2000s. Let’s study the graphs below to know the details.
Popularity Over Time
From 1980 to 1995, Aileen was a reasonably popular name. However, by the late 1990s and 2000s, its popularity increased significantly, with 684 babies per million being given this name in 2009. Check the graph below.
Source: Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
The name did not have a good rank during the 1980s. However, for a short while, during the early 2000s, the ranking improved considerably, after which it deteriorated again. The graph indicates this rise and fall in the trend.
Source: Social Security AdministrationNames With Similar Sound As Aileen
If you are looking to explore more names that sound like Aileen, here are some suggestions.
Names With Similar Meaning As Aileen
If you want a name that means the same as Aileen but sounds different? Take a look at the options listed below.
Name Numerology For Aileen
