''Ilona'' is a feminine given name used primarily in Hungary and Finland, as well as in other parts of Central and Eastern Europe. The name Ilona is the Hungarian form of the Greek name Helenē (Ἑλένη), which is commonly interpreted to mean “torch,” “light,” or “shining one.”Behind the Name – Ilona
/ref> The name likely entered Hungarian through Slavic intermediaries such as Jelena. In Hungarian folklore, Ilona is also known as the name of the Queen of the Fairies, a mythical figure associated with beauty, magic, and enchantment.Lőrincz, László. ''Hungarian Folk Mythology''. Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1982. In Finland, Ilona is used independently of its Greek or Hungarian roots. It is commonly associated with the Finnish word ilo, meaning “joy.” In this context, ilona can be understood as “as a joy o someone” though this interpretation is a folk etymology and not linguistically related to the Greek origin.

People

Archduchess Ilona of Austria Archduchess Ilona of Austria (; 20 April 1927 – 12 January 2011) was a member of the Palatine (Kingdom of Hungary), Hungarian Palatine branch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine. She was married and later divorced from the late head of the House of ...

(1927-2011) *

Ilona Andrews Ilona Andrews is the pen name of Ilona Gordon and Andrew Gordon, an American husband-and-wife duo who write urban fantasy and romantic fiction together under a portmanteau of their first names. Early lives Ilona Gordon was born in the Soviet Un ...

, joint pen name of American novelist duo Ilona and Andrew Gordon * Ilona Borsai (1924–1982), Hungarian musicologist, folk music historian *

Ilona Csáková Ilona Csáková (born 1 October 1970, Cheb) is a Czech Republic, Czech popular singer. She has released ten solo albums, and was the best-selling singer in the Czech Republic in 1998. She also appeared as a judge on reality TV music competition ...

(born 1970), Czech pop singer * Ilona Eibenschütz (1872–1967), Hungarian pianist *

Ilona Elek Ilona Elek, known also as Ilona Elek-Schacherer (née “Elek"; 17 May 1907 – 24 July 1988) was a Hungarian Olympic fencer. Elek won more international fencing titles than any other woman.Ilona Fehér Ilona Feher or Ilona Fehér (, ; 1 December 1901 – January 1988), was one of the representatives of the Hungarian school of violin playing, Hungarian Violin School whose greats include Joseph Böhm, Joseph Joachim, Jakob Grün, Leopold Auer, Ca ...

(1901–1988), Hungarian violinist and teacher * Ilona Gófitz, Hungarian conjoined twin * Ilona Graenitz (1943–2022), Austrian MP and MEP *

Ilona Gusenbauer Ilona Maria Gusenbauer (née Majdan on 16 September 1947) is a retired Austrian high jumper who competed at two Olympic Games.

(born 1947), Austrian high jumper * Ilona Hlaváčková (born 1977), Czech swimmer * Ilona Jokinen (born 1981), Finnish opera singer, * Ilona Maher (born 1996), American rugby player, 2020 Olympian with the USA Eagles Women's Rugby 7s squad, *

Ilona Massey Ilona Massey (born Ilona Hajmássy, June 16, 1910 – August 20, 1974) was a Hungarian-American film, stage and radio performer. Early life and career She was born in Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary (now in Hungary). Billed as "the new Die ...

(1910–1974), Hungarian actress *

Ilona Mitrecey Ilona Mitrecey, more commonly known as Ilona, is a French singer. Early life and education Ilona Mitrecey was born in Fontenay-aux-Roses, France. She finished high school at Lycée Pasteur in Neuilly-sur-Seine in Hauts-de-Seine. Career Ilona ...

(born 1993), French singer * Ilona Novák (1925–2019), Hungarian swimmer * Ilona Ostrowska, Polish actress *

Ilona Palásti Ilona Palásti (1924–1991) was a Hungarian mathematician who worked at the Alfréd Rényi Institute of Mathematics. She is known for her research in discrete geometry, geometric probability, and the theory of random graphs. With Alfréd Rén ...

(1924–1991), Hungarian mathematician * Ilona Senderek (born 1988), Polish figure skater *

Ilona Slupianek Ilona Longo (née Schoknecht, divorced Briesenick and Slupianek; born 24 September 1956) is a German former shot putter who represented East Germany. As Ilona Slupianek, she won the 1980 Olympic title in Moscow and won European titles in 1978 and ...

(born 1956), retired world champion shot putter who competed for East Germany *

Ilona Staller Ilona Anna Staller (born 26 November 1951), known by her stage name Cicciolina, is a Hungarian-Italian former porn star, politician, and singer. Staller gained fame in the early 1970s through her radio show ''Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?'' a ...

(born 1951), aka Cicciolina, Hungarian-born Italian porn-star, sometime politician, and singer *

Ilona Štěpánová-Kurzová Ilona Štěpánová-Kurzová (19 November 1899 in Lviv – 25 September 1975 in Prague) was a Czechoslovak concert pianist and piano teacher, a professor at the Prague Academy of Arts. Her students included Ivan Moravec. Ilona Štěpánová-Ku ...

(1899–1975), Czech concert pianist and piano teacher *

Ilona Szabó de Carvalho Ilona Szabó de Carvalho (born May 31, 1978) is a Brazilian political scientist, civic entrepreneur. She is a co-founder and president of the Igarapé Institute, an independent think-and-do tank focused on human, digital and climate security ...

(born 1978), Brazilian political scientist *

Ilona Szilágyi ''Ilona'' is a feminine given name used primarily in Hungary and Finland, as well as in other parts of Central and Eastern Europe. The name Ilona is the Hungarian form of the Greek name Helenē (Ἑλένη), which is commonly interpreted to mean ...

(before 1455–1497), Hungarian princess consort of Wallachia as the second wife of Vlad III the Impaler *

Ilona Tőzsér Ilona Tőzsér is a Hungarian sprint canoer who competed in the mid-1970s. She won four medals at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships with a silver (K-2 500 m: 1973 Events January * January 1 – The United Kingdom, the ...

, Hungarian sprint canoer *

Ilona Walta Ilona Walta (born 5 January 2006) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middl ...

(born 2006), Finnish footballer *

Ilona Zrínyi Countess Ilona Zrínyi (Croatian language, Croatian: ''Jelena Zrinska'', Hungarian language, Hungarian: ''Zrínyi Ilona'') (1643, Ozalj – 18 February 1703, Izmit) was a noblewoman and heroine. She was one of the last surviving members of th ...

(1643–1703), Hungarian-Croatian countess

References

{{given name Hungarian feminine given names Feminine given names Croatian feminine given names Czech feminine given names Estonian feminine given names Finnish feminine given names German feminine given names Spanish feminine given names Polish feminine given names Slovak feminine given names

People

See also

References