Helena
2025 SSA
About Helena
Helena is one of those classic names that just misses making the US Top 1000 girl names for its entire history, falling off for a single year in 1992. Since then it's been drifting lazily up the charts, and makes a perfect choice if you want a name that both fits in and stands out.
An airier and more elegant version of Helen, Helena was a favorite of Shakespeare, who used it in both All's Well That Ends Well and A Midsummer's Night Dream.
Historically, Helena was the mother of Constantine the Great (and, supposedly, the daughter of Old King Cole), who became a fourth century saint--Evelyn Waugh wrote his only historical novel, Helena, based on her story.
British star Helena Bonham Carter and Danish model Helena Christensen have done much to keep the name alive, and it is also remembered via beauty mogul Helena Rubinstein. Helena is also the title of a song by the group My Chemical Romance.
Helena is a recommended girls' name for those who find the classic version a bit bland.
HELL-ehn-a is the best modern pronunciation for Helena, but hell-AYN-a or even hell-EEN-a work too.
Pronounced HEL-uh-nuh.
As of October 2026, Helena ranked #363 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #194 in 1881, Nameberry popularity #199.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #497 | 627 | 351 |
| 2015 | #535 | 583 | 326.6 |
| 2016 | #517 | 602 | 339.7 |
| 2017 | #515 | 609 | 352.7 |
| 2018 | #458 | 689 | 405 |
| 2019 | #475 | 657 | 391.5 |
| 2020 | #512 | 592 | 366.2 |
| 2021 | #513 | 604 | 368.1 |
| 2022 | #473 | 672 | 409.7 |
| 2023 | #457 | 677 | 421.9 |
| 2024 | #414 | 754 | 465.4 |
| 2025 | #363 | 841 | 523.2 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Helena.
Helena on lists
Famous Helenas
- Saint Helena (born Flavia Iulia Helena Augusta)
Consort of Roman Emperor Constantius Chlorus and mother of Constantine the Great
- Helena Augusta Victoria; Princess of the U.K.
Princess Christian of Schleswig,Holstein, daughter of Queen Victoria
- Helena Victoria (Victoria Louise Sophia Augusta Amelia Helena)
Princess of Schleswig,Holstein, granddaughter of Queen Victoria
- Helena
Princess of Waldeck and Pyrmont (Helene Friederike Auguste), Duchess of Albany; daughter,in,law of Queen Victoria
- Helena Adelaide
Princess of Schleswig,Holstein,Sonderburg,Glücksburg (Helene Adelheid Viktoria Marie), Princess of Denmark
- Helena of Nassau (Helene Wilhelmine Henriette Pauline Marianne von Nassau
Weilburg), Princess consort of Waldeck and Pyrmont
- Helena
Princess of Waldeck and Pyrmont (Helene Bathildis Charlotte Maria Friederike), Hereditary Grand Duchess of Oldenburg
- Helena Bonham Carter
English actress
- Helena Devereux
American educator
- Helena Dow
American Olympic fencer
- Helena Modjeska
Polish,American actress
- Helena Christensen
Danish model
- Chaja "Helena" Rubinstein
Polish,American beauty mogul
- Helena Mattsson
Swedish actress
- Helena Suková
Czech tennis player
- Helena Petrovna Blavatsky
Russian philosopher
- Helena Ivanovna Roerich
Russian philosopher
- (Anni) Helena Takalo
Finnish Olympic cross country skier
- Helena
queen of Adiabene in the First Century A.D.
- Eleni "Elena/Helena" Paparizou
Greek,Swedish singer
- Helena Teresa Góralska
Polish politician and economist
- Helena Majdaniec
Polish singer
- Halina Poświatowska (born Helena Myga)
Polish poet
- Helena Pilejczyk
Polish skater
- Helena (born Felicja
pseudonym Lena) Wolińska, Polish politician and communist activist
- Helena Grace Rutherford Girsch (b. 2009)
daughter of American actress Kelly Rutherford
- Helena Clementine (br. 2019)
daughter of singers Flo Morrissey and Benjamin Clementine.
Helena in pop culture
- "Helena
" song by The Misfits
- "Helena
" song by My Chemical Romance
- Helena Henstridge
the queen of England on TV's "The Royals"
- Helena Harford
daughter in movie "Eyes Wide Shut"
- Helena Harper
character in the game "Resident Evil 6"
- Helena G. Wells
a female version of the author H.G. Wells on TV's "Warehouse 13"
- Helena Peabody
character on TV's "The L Word"
- Helena Pierce
character in "Borderlands" video game
- Helena Ravenclaw aka the Grey Lady
the Ravenclaw house ghost in the Harry Potter series
- Helena Cassadine
character on soap "General Hospital"
- Helena
a clone on TV's "Orphan Black"
- "Helena
" novel by Evelyn Waugh
- Helena Jane
character in song "Hollywood's Not America" by Ferras
- "Helena Beat"
song by Foster the People
- Helena
Montana, USA
- Helena Bertinelli
"The Huntress" from DC Comics and TV Series "Arrow"