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
Ellen traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Ellen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Ellen | Zeal |
| 2 | English | Helen | Any of various papilionid butterflies of the... |
| 3 | French | Hélène | — |
| 4 | Latin | Helena | Helen |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ἑλένη | torch, firebrand; corposant, St. Elmo's fire;... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | swel- | to smolder; burn; scorch; beam, board, frame,... |
via Danish Ellen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Danish | Ellen | — |