Eileen

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A feminine given name of Irish origin, a variant form of Helen, used for women and girls
2. A female first name derived from Irish tradition, closely related to the name Helen and commonly given to girls
3. A woman's personal name of Gaelic origin, the Irish counterpart of Helen, borne by people across the English-speaking world

Etymology: Eileen is a name rather than a word with a dictionary sense, and its history runs through Ireland before it reaches English. It is an anglicized form of the Irish names Eibhlín, Eilín and Aibhilín, which are themselves close relatives of Evelyn. Evelyn, in turn, comes from the Old French name Aveline, so the two names share a common ancestor that split apart as it travelled between languages. The Irish forms were taken into English spelling in the Middle Ages and early modern period, and the spelling "Eileen" is the version that settled into common use. Because English spellers and Irish speakers rendered the same sounds differently, the name turned up in several shapes before it stabilized. Some people also use Eileen for a separate Irish name, Éibhleann. That name may come from Old Irish "oíph," meaning "radiance" or "beauty," though this link is uncertain.