Eleanor: Etymology & Historical Origin Eleanor is a name made popular by Eleanor of Aquitaine (c. 1122-1204), one of the most glamorous, wealthy, powerful and adventurous women in all of medieval Europe. If “celebrity” were a word in the English dictionary in the 12th century, she may very well have been the poster girl definition. She holds the exclusive distinction of having been Queen Consorts of both France (Louis VII) and England (Henry II). No one is quite certain from where her name comes, but there are several educated theories. For one, it’s commonly believed to have been derived from the medieval Provençal (a southeastern French dialect) female name “Aliénor” from the Germanic “aljis” meaning “other, foreign” (from the Proto-Indo-European root “al” meaning “beyond”). Some believe Aliénor d’Aquitaine (Eleanor of Aquitaine) was given the moniker Aliénor in homage to her mother, Aénor of Châtellerault, but altered in order to specify “the other” Aénor. Still, other etymologists surmise Aliénor was merely the Provençal dialectical form of Elena (the Spanish form of Helen). Helen comes from the Greek (Ελένη) from “hēlios” meaning “sun, ray of light” or “the bright one”. The name Eleanor is a baby girl name. The baby name Eleanor originated as an Arabic name. In Arabic the name Eleanor means- God is my light. Today Eleanor is most popular in England and the United States.