Hello,

i4m very interested in know the origin of my name: Malena. Because I know only about the existence of the some songs titled with this name. I4m sorry I don4t have answers but questions.

I4ll be waiting your response,

Malena

-- Twiggy Malena Ortegsn Medina (twiseragui@yahoo.com), March 27, 2000

Answers

well, it means "a little one"...who gave u that name?ur parents?

-- ana jurin (ajurin@gmx.net), May 13, 2000.

Hi Malena!

Not often do I find someone with my name. I always thought I was named after a woman named Melana who was from Yugoslavia, but didn't know the meaning. It wasn't until a couple of weeks ago that I discovered that my name is also the name of a famous Tango in Argentina.

Recently, a Greek professor told me that he thought that Malena was the equivalent of Melissa in Greek. So, it would mean something like "sweet one"

I guess if we would combine this with the other response you rec'd it would be "sweet, little one" That would suit me!

-- Malena Katrina Moore (malenam@psu.edu), November 06, 2000.

Malena is my last name. My father was born in Italy (Cozenza, region of Calábria, at the south). Somebory says that Malena is a simplification of Magdalena, ( from Magdala, city of Orient at the time of Jesus, (Mary from Magdala).

In portughese and in spanish we have the word "melena" that means long and curly hair).

Tulio

-- Marcos Tulio Malena (tulio_marcos@hotmail.com), January 20, 2001.

My father was a Melina Mercouri fan, so he named me Melina. But at my birth, the hospital wrote my name on my birth certificate as Malena! It was such an unusual pretty name that it was kept. Thirty five years later, I still recieve compliments on my name and would not change it for the world!

-- Malena Solano-Custer (msolanoc@aol.com), January 22, 2001.

Oh I love my name also. Here is a small contribution on what the name Malena means in other languages. Different dialects of Russian = raspberry, purple, little one. Serbo-Croatian = the little one (mala)

My mother chose the name for me when I was born, it was for the longest time a really uncommon name in Sweden where I am from. The common version of the name in Sweden is Malin. However I have always loved having an unusual name and I think it's a beautiful name.

-- Malena Derwinger (md@metropolitanhousing.com), March 15, 2001.

To Malena Derwinger: there is NO serbo-croatian language. There are croatian language and serbian language. Swedes, Danes and Norwegians can be intelligible to each other, but there is no dano-swedish, dano-norwegian or swedo-norwegian!

-- Jurica Lausic (jurica.lausic@st.tel.hr), August 06, 2001.

I'm a little late, but I'm so excited there are so many Malenas. I believe that it is beautiful also. I read somewhere that those named Malena feel that others do not like them. Is this true for any of you? Weird question I know.

-- Malena Crawford (malena@gwu.edu), November 12, 2001.

Hi Malena

I was searching the net for the origin of my daughter name which is Melina, it sounds like it is the same name but spelled different. I was reading in a baby name book that the name means "dark", in Greek, but I like the translation from the other messages for sweet little one. Her father is from Mexico and felt it was a very pretty latin name.

Good luck in your search

-- Lisa (lisa_in_sitka@hotmail.com), December 29, 2001.

Melena,Milena,Melina is confusing if you do'nt know original spelling. If it's Greek probably is Melina,Melita ili cro. Medena,eng. Honey

-- Plannco Wallach (Plannius@yahoo.com), May 27, 2002.

Hi ,

My second name is Malena, my full name is Michelle Malena, and I just spoke to my dad today that why did he name me such a horrible name.

But Now I find it quite interesting, because its an unusual name. Its pretty cool.

My dad told me Malena is an Italian name and its also an tango "Malena canta el tango como ninguna y en cada verso pone su corazon"

AND GUESS WHAT YOU GUYS, MALENA IS ALSO THE NAME OF A MOVIE.

So we are pretty luck of having this name huh? Mich Malena

-- Michelle (sonadora335@hotmail.com), November 20, 2002.

My new baby daughter is named Melina Fawn. We thought we made it up! My dad went by Mel, so we used Melina to name her after him. Fawn is her great-grandmother's middle name. I think Melina is a beautiful name. I hope my daughter does as well.

Jeanne

-- Jeanne M. Hevener (jmhevener@hotmail.com), March 24, 2003.

hey all those malenas out there! ive just found a site on the web called 'the land of malena' where malenians live!its cool! my name is from sweden-my mother is swedish love, malena xxx

-- Malena Eriksson-Lee (malena418@hotmail.com), March 26, 2003.

Malena is a simplification of spanish names "Magdalena" or "Maria Elena".

that's the answer

-- Alvaro (derek@yahoo.co.uk), May 14, 2003.

My mother calls me "Malena" which in Croatian means "little one". Malena is also used when you want to say to your girlfried or loved one "honey" or "sweety". For guys would be "maleni". Malena in Croatian is simular to Mima or Mimo in Italian which is the nickname given to the youngest (sweetest) child.

-- Sanja (sanya_pisac@yahoo.com), June 09, 2003.

I am so amazed that so many people are named Malena. I have only met two people in my 27 years of life with the exact same spelling. And yes, I thought that Malena was such an ugly name when I was younger but now that I have read about the name Malena and found the movie today with the name Malena, I'm really starting to think it's a beautiful name. I didn't know it had so many meanings. And from what I have been told I was named after a song that John Fogerty had sang called "Malena". And for the life of me I can't find it. My mother and father are both from Tennessee so I'm a country bumpkin and not Spanish or Italian. But my husband is Italian so that is the funny part. And his Grandmothers name was originally Malena when she was born in Sicily, Italy in 1925. But again, I just thought I would write and put in my two cents worth in. HEHE

Malena

-- Malena Simpson (rosslena@bellsouth.net), June 11, 2003.

Hi Malena

My husband and I gave our five month old daughter the name of Melina. We, as other emails you have received, thought the name to be different and not that common. We heard it once four years before our daughter was born and then remembered it when I was pregnant. There was no other names we had chosen and dicussed (our minds were made up!). We are from Tasmania, Australia and my grandfather was irish and my husband's family history stems from Irish and English backgrounds so we chose it not based on family tradition. The most I've heard the name is from overseas like America and UK....not as common in Australia. I have also a baby name book that described Melina as meaning canary yellow. On the down side...I was told just after I gave birth to her that it also had a medical meaning (spelt meleana...something to do with bowel motions gone wrong??)...but to me that is a totally different word and I generally don't think about it.

Regards Lyn Mann

-- Lyn Maree Mann (davidlyn1998@bigpond.com), July 09, 2003.

Hi. My name is Maria Elena... And all my friends and family call me Malena... I just want to say that I mean this is a beautifull name... I love my name... And I don't now what is the meaning... But I think every one can give a special meaning... Greetings from Mexico. Malena

-- Maria Elena Olague (male_olague@yahoo.com.mx), July 10, 2003.

I named my baby daughter malena because I thought it was a beutiful and unusual name. I read somewhere that it comes from Scandinavia but I also know some people with that name from Argentina. My grandmother's name is Malia and my cousin's mame is Maria. So i wanted my daughter's name to be similar and to sound good in Russian.

-- Anastasia (preetykittyangel@yahoo.com.au), September 25, 2003.

I have an 8 year old daughter named Meleana. I also have heard the greek meaning of dark and mysterious. I prefer little one. she is my youngest, and was named for her italian heritage. we all think it is a beautiful name!

-- (ladies3m@triad.rr.com), September 28, 2003.

Hi I was actually looking for a book written on the origin of the Malena last name. My father Gregorio Malena (Senior) had recieved a letter about 10 years ago from a publishing company that was releasing a book about our family's name. He recieved the letter in recognition of the thousands of chronicled Malena's. I do remember the letter mentioning something about our last name being found in a considerable amount in Africa. My family is from the Dominican Republic. My great grandfather, founder of a school on the island, is whom my father and I share our name with. If anyone knows anything else about this book please email me at reelalityprod@yahoo.com

-- Gregorio Malena (Jr.) (reelalityprod@yahoo.com), October 07, 2003.

Hello, I am currently pregnant and will name our future daughter Malena. To answer your question, the name Malena is the short name for Maria + Elena; I am an Italian teacher who is often asked about the origin of Italian names. It is very common to find in the southern part of the Italian Region names that are taken from Saints. Maria + Elena is also Marilena; the reason for so many names with the Maria influence is because since the family followed a naming convention. Traditionally the first child is named after the fathers' parents the second after the mother's parents and so on; however if the labor had complications the family would vow to a saint and usually the mother of Jesus "Maria" that if all went well they would name their child after her and put the intended name as a second name. Yes there is an Argentinian Tango named Malena, and that too has Italian roots, as many know Italians have immigrated there back in the 1600s. I hope this helps you in your search for the meaning of your name.

-- Mariella (mbgschool@yahoo.com), November 26, 2003.

My parents,brothers,sister,and cousins call me "Malena". My parents named after the beautiful spanish song called "Maria Elena". I like the version in spanish but I also like it alot in english. It goes like this "Maria Elena you're the answer to a prayer Maria Elena can't you see how much I care To me your voice is like the echo of a sigh". Anyways lots of people have trouble calling me Malena for some reason they cant pronounce it or they just dont want to call me Malena. So I make it simple and have them call me Elena. How about others do any of you have trouble being introduced as Malena or asking friends to call you Malena?

-- maria elena gonzalez (speedygonzalez@rocketmail.com), January 04, 2004.

Hello, I am pregnant and still uncertain if we are having a boy or a girl but if it is a girl, we are going to call her Melina. I am Greek, so when I look up the meaning and see Canary-colored yellow..it throws me off. Meli means honey and ina refers to little...so sweet little one or little honey makes sense to me. I have also read gentle or soft and gentle and I like that one as well. I wish everyone luck and it truly is a beautiful name in all of its forms and spellings.

-- Jasmine (jazz_abbas@hotmail.com), January 09, 2004.

Omg! Im so happy now! Jesus...I thought I was the only Melina in the world...i hated my name. But now...i find it a little purty! :D Heh...its so nice now. Melina, Malena. I still dont know what it means but..I guess I will have to kepp searching :D. Thanks everybody.

-- Melina M. Ochoa (SnOoPy2708@cs.com), January 22, 2004.

were did the name simpson origin from or nationality it's.

-- Robert Lee simpson sr (bobsimpson45@hotmail.com), January 26, 2004.

Hi!I come from Finland but belong to the approximately 300 000 people that speak swedish, so I have a swedish name also;Malena. The finns pronounce it in a strange way but anyway I am satisfied with my name. I met some people from the former Yugoslavia and they think It's funny cause it means little girl,( and I am not that little) but they pronounce it with a long "a", I think. Melina is beutiful too. I am very interested in names, but I think it would be really hard for me to name anyone, I had such problems with my rabbit and dog once. Butmy parent's did a good decision Malena is a good name. Just the right length also! Malena

-- Malena (linmm@ida.arcada.fi), February 07, 2004.

hi malena are u a serbian if u are email me and by the way does any one know what my name means (mirljub).

-- miroljub (m_r_k_a_j_i_c_m@hotmail.com), February 15, 2004.

Get lost you dirty serbian murderer/rapist/thief!

-- Zadranin (jebemsrbiju@ndh.hr), February 16, 2004.

Hello, all the Malena's of the world! Well i have no clue what the absolute meaning of malena is, ive heard things from rasberry to high temptress...well all i know is that my mother decided to name me malena because when she was lilttle she heard the name somewhere and named a barbie doll malena and said if she ever had a daughter she would name her malena, she kept to her word..and here i am! Whatever malena means, it doesnt matter....its just a awesome name!

-- Malena Hylton (doorsdownchick@aol.com), February 16, 2004.

Hi, My name is also Malena. My mother named me after her grandmother, it was her middle name. I researched Malena on one site a few years ago and got back a Jewish meaning it said that it meant "elevated" take it as you may but I liked it! Thanks, Malena

-- Malena Leigh Lance (msparkles20@aol.com), March 16, 2004.

Wow this is so cool I always thought i was about the only Malena in the world. Anyway my dad was in Ecuador for two years and met a girl named Magdalena who's nickname was Malena

awesome

-- Malena L. E. (lena7th1@juno.com), April 17, 2004.

I named my daughter Malena (she is now 2 months old). We pronounce it Ma-lay-na. Is that how most of you pronounce your name? Or do you go by Ma-lee-na? or Mi-lee-na? So excited to see so many of you love your name. Hope my Malena loves it, too. For those of you who pronounce it as we do- what are your nicknames? I call her Laney, her dad calls her Molly Holly (her name is Malena Helen), and some of the relatives call her Meme (as in May-may). None of them have stuck yet, though.

-- Ann V (ann@vermut.com), April 21, 2004.

THis is so cool! i ner heard on so many Malena's before! i really like my name! im 14 and i think it makes people remember me more. no one pronounces it right tho! i say it Mal-e-na! just like its spelled but people still dont seem to get it lol!

-- Malena Zanjani (malzie89@aol.com), June 02, 2004.

hello.....does anyone know the origins of the spanish name magdalena????? im doin research for a play and i really need to know. thanks heaps, tara.

-- tara haughton (tarahaughton@hotmail.com), July 02, 2004.

Hello all Melina's, Melena's and Melana's. First of all, my name is not any of those, but I thought that I would share with you a short, funny story. I am an artist and a writer (not a very experienced one, however). Five years ago when I was writing one of my first epic tales I was trying my best to come up with my heroine's name. I wanted it to be unusual and pretty and somehow I came up with the name Melaena. I thought that I made it up completely because I couldn't find it in any of those 'naming baby' books. I guess the funniest part about it, is that I learned not too long ago that the name Melena is the equivalent for Melissa...and that is what my name is. So now all the people that will read my story in the future will think that I named her after me and that she is me, etc. (It doesn't help that the character looks alot like me) It was one of those humorous ironies that I though I would share with this specific community. I also plan on naming my future daughter Melaena; that is how much I like it! So there will be another in the world! Melaena is pronounced Melayna by the way. Oh, and if you are interested in what my character looks like, I will post the link below.

http://gro-wings.com/art/portfolio/thesis/melaena_wing.jpg

thanks for your time!

-- (Neoqueenhoneybee@hotmail.com), December 27, 2004.

i think you suck bad i am 10

-- tysan (tykes12@hotmail.com), January 30, 2005.

Hello, I have a 4 month old & her name is Malena Katherine. I'm curious how some of you pronounce your name. Her's is pronounced Mu-lay-na. I'm sure that it will be butchered once she gets into school but that's okay. I love the name! I have a very unusual middle name & always thought it was weird growing up..now I love it.

-- Sarah Sundstrom (Sarahsundstrom@comcast.net), February 01, 2005.

I love my name and am glad it's uncommon. I find it interesting that there are so many references of Scandinavian Malena's. Malena was my grandmother's middle name. Her background was primarily Irish, but I don't know where her parents got the name. I especially like "Twiggy Malena!" I gave my daughter Malena as a middle name. All the Malena's, be proud of your name.

-- Malena Louise (fwmld@hotmail.com), February 28, 2005.

We named our daughter Malena (now almost 2). We know a Mala'ina, pronounced "ma-LAY-na" whose name is shortened to Mally (which I love). You may find it interesting that I found 'Malana' in a new age baby name book meaning "light", from which I believe Malena can be derived.

-- Paula Chacon (public@chaconhome.com), March 04, 2005.

Hello all you M people! I was named Melina Michelle Magdalena + surname, which I dropped, and kept just my first three given names. I love my name, too. Because I live in Australia, with many people of Italian and Greek origins, I've been told that 'Melina' is short for 'Carmelina'. However, my mother believed she made it up from her sisters' names: Meliss + Monica. I've also seen the meaning 'canary yellow', or 'domesticated yellow song bird', and sometimes tell people it's Greek for 'Tweetie Bird'. Intriguingly, 'Melina' and 'Magdalena' come from the same origins, a place for which Mary Magdalen was named. But I'm Jewish, and some Jews look at me askance, when I tell them my name! Best of luck to all you M's out there. xx

-- Melina Magdalena (Mersigns@hotmail.com), March 12, 2005.