Milena is a Slavic name from the root mil, meaning "gracious" or "dear", and has long been popular in Serbia, the Czech Republic, Poland and Russia. Milena Jesenská, the Czech journalist who corresponded with Franz Kafka, is a notable bearer; in the United States the name also appeals to Spanish- and Italian-speaking families. Milena has been in the US top 1000 since 2012, peaked at number 678 in 2019 and ranks number 950 among girls' names in 2025.