Elana is usually read as a spelling of the Hebrew Ilana, from ilan, and means "tree"; it is also used as a variant of Elena, which goes back to the Greek Helene and means "torch" or "light". The name is popular in Jewish families and is sometimes given to girls born around Tu BiShvat, the new year of the trees. In the United States Elana peaked at number 1076 in 2004 and ranks number 1982 in 2025.