Ena

Ena is a name with two possible etymologies. For one, it’s considered an Anglicization of an Irish Gaelic female name, Eithne (pronounced “en-ya”) meaning “kernel, seed” (i.e., of a nut). At least nine Irish saints bore than name Eithne, most notably the mother of St. Columba (St. Columba was a 6th century Irish monk who is credited with converting most of Scotland and Northern England to Christianity). According to Irish legend, before the birth of her son, St. Eithne saw a vision of a beautifully colored clock covered with flowers. As she reached out to grasp it, the clock floated away and spread across land and sea. Her vision foretold the future of her son who would travel overseas (i.e., spreading Christianity to the Scottish-Picts and pagan Saxons) where he would achieve great honor and distinction. 

 

Alternately, Ena is considered a Slavic pet form of Irena, ultimately derived from the Greek “Eirēnē” (Ειρηνη) which means “peace”. Eirene (Irene) was the Greek goddess who personified peace and was particularly revered among the ancient Athenians. They began to build alters and temples to Eirene after winning naval battles against Sparta, in appreciation for the peace that followed war. Irene/Irena were names popularized in Medieval Europe in homage to a couple of saints who bore this name (naming children after saints became the de facto practice in the Middle Ages, and the Church provided a calendar of saints from which parents could choose). This practice was especially common in Eastern Europe - for instance, Irena was borne by an 8th century Empress of the Byzantine Empire. After having her son’s eyes gouged out so that he’d be unfit to rule, she became the first woman ever to rule over Byzantine (during her rule, she restored a lot of the Christian idolatry). Irena thus became especially popular as a name among Eastern Christians.