Milena

Milena is a female given name of Slavic origin. It is derived from the Slavic root mil- meaning “dear,” “gracious,” or “loving,” and is related to names such as Mila and Milan. The form Milena spread through Central and Southeast Europe and has since been adopted in many languages.

The name is common in Czech, Slovak, Polish, Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Russian, and other Slavic language contexts. In some languages or periods it appears with diacritics, such as Miléna in French usage, or as diminutives like Milenka. It is used across different cultures and often appears in modern naming practices as a stand-alone given name.

Notable bearers include Milena Jesenská (1896–1944), a Czech journalist, writer, and translator closely associated with Franz Kafka; Milena Govich, an American actress; and Milena Smit, a Spanish actress. These examples illustrate the name’s cross-cultural presence in literature, film, and television.

The name Milena is widely recognized as a feminine given name in various national naming practices and in popular culture. It is frequently used in fiction and media to convey a Slavic or Eastern European identity, while remaining familiar and easy to pronounce in many other languages.