Iliana

Iliana is a name used among Spanish speakers and may have been borrowed from the Romanian “Ileana” which is thought to have developed from Helen. A lot of names have spawned from the Greek Helen, not surprisingly because she’s the mythological beauty who “launched a thousand ships” by setting off the Trojan War. The name most likely finds its roots in the Greek word “hēlios” meaning “sun” or more specifically a “ray of light”. This is a fitting etymology considering the renowned beauty of Helen, Queen of Sparta, who stole the heart of Paris. The Romanians may have borrowed from the Greeks when they developed their own mythological Ileana Cosânzeana, a woman who in their own culture is the personification of beauty. Ileana is a fairytale princess, a dark-haired beauty, who represents many of the womanly virtues Romanians hold dear: she’s strong and brave, she’s noble and modest, she’s magical and wise, and she’s simply gorgeous to behold. She is often depicted surrounded by elves and flowers while the wind, mesmerized by her beauty, chases her in vein. In some folklorean tales, Ileana is trapped by an evil man in his castle until her Prince Charming rescues her. As a result of this Romanian connection, as well as the name’s association with the Greek Helen, Iliana has a little bit more dimension than her competition.