Helen

Greek

"torch; shining light"

Helen Origin and Meaning

The name Helen is a girl's name of Greek origin meaning "torch; shining light".

Helen is a name that has connoted beauty since ancient times – Helen of Troy was the the mythological "face that launched a thousand ships," over whom the ten-year Trojan War was fought.

The name Helen has moved in and out of favor over the centuries, often alternating with Ellen. It was a Top 5 name for several decades of the early twentieth century, falling out of the Top 100 in the 50s. Now, after being unfashionable for decades, we see signs of a comeback for Helen—it's the kind of serious, unadorned classic many parents are returning to. But if Helen still feels too plain for you, you might consider one of its many lovely variants: Helena, Elena, Eleni, Ella, Nellie or Nell, to name just a few.

In Greek myth, Helen is the daughter of Leda and Zeus, who came to her mother in the form of a swan. Helen also has legions of real-life namesakes, including author and activist Helen Keller, politician Helen Gahaghan Douglas, newspaper reporter Helen Thomas, Cosmo force Helen Gurley Brown, Bridget Jones creator Helen Fielding, artist Helen Frankenthaler, and actresses Hayes, Mirren, and Hunt. Beatrix Potter's birth name was Helen.

Helen Rank in US Top 1000

# 397 in the US

Helen Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

# 406 on Nameberry

Helen Popularity

• 397 US 2023
• 406 Nameberry 2024
• 498 Future 2028
• 791 England 2021
• 246 Germany 2016
• 60 Estonia 2023

20 Names Similar to Helen

These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Helen.

• Anne
• Helena
• Agatha
• Agnes
• Catherine
• Esther
• Margaret
• Edith
• Anna
• Louise
• Elizabeth
• Annie
• Katherine
• Mary
• Irene
• Alexandra
• Beatrice
• Frances
• Ruth
• Maria

Famous People Named Helen

• Helen Adams Keller American deaf and blind author and political activist
• Helen Hayes American actress
• Helen Elizabeth Hunt American actress
• Helen Clare Kane American singer who inspired cartoon character Betty Boop
• Helen Elizabeth Clark 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand
• Helen Princess of Serbia; daughter of Peter I of Yugoslavia
• Helen Augusta Blanchard American inventor
• Helen Lydia Mirren English actress
• Helen Elizabeth McCrory English actress
• (Helen) Beatrix Potter English children's author and illustrator
• Helen Joyce Gabriel Flanagan English actress and model
• Helen Jane Long English musician
• Helen Jairag Richardson Anglo,Burmese Indian actress and dancer
• Helen Rachel Slater American actress and singer,songwriter
• Helen Castillo American Fashion Designer
• Helen Morgan American singer and actress
• Helen Kalin Klanderud American politician
• Helen "Nellie" Costigan Cohan American actress
• Helen George British actress
• Helen Hinkle member of the Beat Generation circle and inspiration for Galatea Dunkel in Jack Kerouac's "On the Road"
• Helen Joanna Santos (b. 1944) daughter of actors Dick Haymes & Joanne Dru
• Helen Grace De Niro (b. 2011) daughter of actor Robert De Niro

Helen in Pop Culture

• Helen of Troy Greek mythological figure said to be the most beautiful woman in the world.
• Mount St. Helens volcano in Washington State, USA
• Helen first queen of Narnia in the novel: 'The Magician's Nephew' by C.S. Lewis
• Helen Graham main character in 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall' by Anne Brontë
• Helen Burns character in "Jane Eyre"
• Helen Stanley main character in "Helen" by Maria Edgeworth
• Helen Leonard main character in 2009 film "Helen"
• Helen Seinfeld Jerry's mom on TV's "Seinfeld"
• Helen Ferguson paranoid nurse in Ernest Hemingway's "A Farewell to Arms"
• Helen Spitz character on animated series "Braceface"
• Helen Memel main character in Charlotte Roche's "Wetlands" and the film o the same name
• Dr. Helen Magnus character on TV's "Sanctuary"
• Helen Parr aka Elastigirl character in Pixar's "The Incredibles"
• Helen Morgendorffer character in animated series "Daria"
• Helen Harris character in film "Bridesmaids"
• Helen Grady character in the video game "Silent Hill: Origins"
• Helen Hawkins character on TV's "Siren"
• Helen Quilley main character in film "Sliding Doors"
• Helen McIntire American Girl doll character
• "Helen Sweetheart of the Internet," comic strip by Peter Zale
• Helen Longshanks character in the Inheritance Cycle
• Helen Shivers character in film "I Know What You Did Last Summer"
• Margot Helen Tenenbaum character in film "The Royal Tenenbaums"
• Helen Bryce character on "Smallville"
• Helen Thermopolis character in "The Princess Diaries" series
• Helen Blackthorn character from Cassandra Clare's "Mortal Instruments and Dark Artifices" series
• Helen Ophelia DuBois character on TV's "Drake and Josh"
• Helen character on Showtime's "Masters of Sex," played by Sarah Silverman
• Helen Lovejoy a character from "The Simpsons"
• Helen Schlegel character in E.M. Forster's novel "Howards End"
• Helen Queen of Eddis in Megan Whalen Turner's "Queen's Thief" series
• Helen Harris character in the 2004 Comedy film "Raising Helen"
• Helen Roper character on TV show "Three's Company"