| Ariadne | Eleni | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Most holy | Torch; bright light (disputed) |
| Origin | Greek | greek |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | ar-ee-AD-nee | eh-LEH-nee |
| Syllables | 4 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1960 | 0 |
| Peak year | 2016 (389) | 2024 (255) |
| In 2025 | 115 | 0 |
| Trend | Rising | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Ariadne | Eleni |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,126 | 1,216 |
| 2010s | 2,589 | 1,420 |
| 2000s | 621 | 1,319 |
| 1990s | 255 | 1,275 |
| 1980s | 100 | 762 |
| 1970s | 63 | 469 |
| 1960s | 70 | 239 |
| 1950s | 0 | 100 |
| 1940s | 0 | 22 |
Ariadne means “most holy” in Greek; she guides Theseus from the labyrinth.
Modern Greek form of Helen/Helene. The etymology is uncertain: most often linked to Greek 'hele' ('torch') or a root meaning 'shine/bright', with some scholars instead proposing a connection to the moon or a pre-Greek word of unknown meaning. The 'torch/bright light' reading is traditional but not settled.
Ariadne is more popular than Eleni today: about 115 US babies were given the name Ariadne in 2025, compared with 0 named Eleni.
Ariadne means Most holy (Greek origin), while Eleni means Torch; bright light (disputed) (greek origin).
In US records, Ariadne first appears in 1960 and Eleni in 0, so Eleni has the longer recorded history.