Ilke

Ilke is a female first name that originates from Frisian and represents a variant of Elke, which in turn is a pet form of the name Adelheid. The meaning of the name can be translated as "the noble," "the aristocratic," "the distinguished," or "of noble character."

What does the name Ilke mean?

Ilke, a girl's name, is a Frisian derivation of Elke, which is considered a pet form of Adelheid. The translation of the name means "the noble," "the aristocratic," "the distinguished," and "of noble character." Its roots lie in two Old High German components: adal, which means "noble," "distinguished," "the nobility," or "of noble descent," and heit, which describes "the kind," "the manner," "the form," or "the origin." Furthermore, Ilke is also viewed as a Hungarian variant of Helene, meaning "the radiant," "the beautiful," "the shining," "the torch," or "the moon." This origin is of Greek descent, derived from helénē (ἑλένη) for "the torch," "the light," and "the brilliance," hēlios (ἥλιος) for "the sun" and "the sunlight," or selēnē (σελήνη) for "the moon." Additionally, Ilke can also be seen as a short form of Ilinka. The masculine name Ilke is also a short form of Ilker.

Where does the name Ilke come from?

Ilke is a female first name of Old High German origin, meaning "the noble." The word formation consists of the Old High German derivation from Elke: adal, which means "noble," "distinguished," "the nobility," or "of noble descent," and heit, which describes "the kind," "the manner," "the form," or "the origin." Additionally, there is a derivation from Helene: helénē, which means "the torch," "the light," or "the brilliance" in Ancient Greek; hēlios for "the sun," "the sunlight," or "the sunbeams"; and selēnē for "the moon." The name is common in Turkish and Hungarian.

How do you pronounce Ilke?

Ilke is pronounced as 'Il-ke'.

When is the name day of Ilke?

Ilke's name day is celebrated on the following days: April 26, May 21, August 18, October 29, and November 15.

Popularity

In Germany, Ilke is among the less common first names. In 2023, the name ranked 5,633rd among the most popular female baby names. Ilke's best ranking was in 2011 at 2,438th place. Over the last ten years, the name has been given approximately 30 times as a first name, placing it 5,157th in the ten-year statistics. Between 2010 and 2024, Ilke ranks 5,234th.

Nicknames & pet names

Illa / Illy / Like

Famous people

• Ilke Pflaume (wife of moderator Kai Pflaume)
• Ilke Wyludda (Olympic champion 1996 in discus throw)