Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Aileen

Aileen is a variant spelling of Eileen which is the anglicized version of the Irish Eibhlín and Scottish Eilidh, both of which are Gaelic forms of the female name Helen. Helen originated from the Greek Hēlēnē, a name made famous by the beautiful Spartan queen whose abduction by Paris set in motion the mythological Trojan War. There are two possible etymologies for this Greek name. One, it’s a form of “hēlios” which is the Greek word for ‘sun’ so Helen is thought to mean ‘ray or sunbeam.’ Secondly, it has been argued that Helen comes from the Greek word for “Greek” (Hellēn) but this is not widely held. Given the legendary beauty Helen of Troy (the face that could launch a thousand ships), a sunbeam or ray of light seems much more fitting. (For more information, see the name Helen.) In any case, this ancient name of Greek origin produced many variations throughout Europe such as Helen, Hélѐne, Ellen, Elena, Eileen, Elaine, Eleanor, Ella and even Nell. Neither Eileen nor Aileen are very popular names among English speakers but the Scottish form (Eilidh) remains a top favorite in Scotland.

All About the Baby Name – Aileen

Personality

OF THE GIRL NAME AILEEN

The number one personality is a leader - strong and competitive. They are willing to initiate action and take risks. One personalities work hard toward their endeavors and have the ability to apply their creative and innovative thinking skills with strong determination. They believe in their ability to succeed and are too stubborn to be hindered by obstacles. Ones meet obstacles head-on with such mental vigor and energy that you better step aside. They resent taking orders, so don't try telling them what to do either. This is an intensely active personality, but they are also known as starters rather than finishers. They have a propensity to become bored and will move quickly to the next project if not properly challenged.  They are the ones to think up and put into action new and brilliant ideas, but they are not the ones to stick around and manage them. This personality has an enthusiastic and pioneering spirit. They are distinctly original.

Popularity

OF THE GIRL NAME AILEEN

Aileen has maintained a position on the U.S. female naming charts since the late 19th century. Aileen’s usage peaked long ago in the 19-teens and 20s, and by the 1930s her similar sounding sister, Eileen, surpassed her in popularity. Unlike Eileen, Aileen has never achieved a position on the Top 100 list of most popular girl’s names in the United States. However, it turns out that Aileen has more staying power than Eileen. Aileen has managed to maintain moderate usage whereas Eileen is now in danger of disappearing from the charts altogether. Aileen is an Irish-Scottish charmer remains an appealing choice among many Irish or Scottish Americans. Some think that it sounds too much like “alien” which could be the cause of some schoolyard jokes but not enough to be of concern. Aileen is perhaps outdated by 21st century standards, but it’s still a delicately pretty name with a ‘radiant’ and approachable sensibility. The ancient Greek name Helen has given birth to a remarkable number and variety of equivalent names in various languages. Aileen is just another ray of this bright sun.

Quick Facts

ON AILEEN

GENDER:

Girl

ORIGIN:

English

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

590

PRONUNCIATION:

ay-LEEN; sometimes eye-LEEN

SIMPLE MEANING:

Sunbeam, ray of light, radiant one

Characteristics

OF AILEEN

Independent

Individualistic

Ambitious

Strong-willed

Inventive

Successful

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Aileen

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME AILEEN

We cannot find any significant literary characters by the name of Aileen

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME AILEEN

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Aileen


Popular Songs

ON AILEEN

We cannot find any popular or well-known songs with the name of Aileen


Famous People

NAMED AILEEN

Aileen Fisher (children's author)
Aileen Stanley (singer)
Aileen Wuornos (serial killer, subject of a movie called "Monster" starring Charlize Theron)
Aileen Quinn (actress)

Children of Famous People

NAMED AILEEN

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Aileen

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME AILEEN

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Aileen