Etymology Explorer › Swedish

Where does “Ellen” come from?

Ellen (Swedish) comes from English Ellen, from English Helen, from French Hélène, from Latin Helena, from Ancient Greek ἑλένη, from Proto-Indo-European swel- — to smolder; burn; scorch; beam, board, frame,...

Ancestry of “Ellen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishEllen—
2EnglishHelenAny of various papilionid butterflies of the...
3FrenchHélène—
4LatinHelena—
5Ancient Greekἑλένηtorch, firebrand; corposant, St. Elmo's fire;...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanswel-to smolder; burn; scorch; beam, board, frame,...

Words derived from “Ellen”

  • Ellá
  • Elle
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swel- →