Helen - Name Meaning and Origin

Name:

Helen

Pronunciation:

/ˈhɛlən/

Gender:

Female

Origin:

Greek

Religion:

Meaning:

Light, torch, bright

Variations:

Helena; Helene; Ellen; Eleni; Elena; Yelena; Ilona; Helenka; Hella; Nellie

Helen, derived from the Greek word "helene" meaning "torch" or "corposant," has roots deeply embedded in Greek mythology and history. The name is famously associated with Helen of Troy, whose beauty was said to have launched the Trojan War. This mythological connection has imbued the name with connotations of beauty and allure. Historically, Helen has been a popular name across Europe, with variations like Helena and Elena appearing in many languages. In Christianity, Saint Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, is a notable bearer, contributing to the name's religious significance. The name has been used predominantly for females, though it remains unisex in some cultures. In terms of popularity, Helen saw a peak in the early 20th century in English-speaking countries but has since declined, though it remains a classic choice. Regionally, Helen is more common in countries with strong Greek cultural influences. Today, Helen continues to be appreciated for its timeless elegance and historical depth. Sibling names often include classic names like James, Elizabeth, or William. Individuals named Helen are often perceived as intelligent, charismatic, and strong-willed.

Popularity of The Name Helen

Helen's popularity peaked in the early 20th century in the United States and the United Kingdom. It remains a classic choice, though less common today. The name is popular in countries with Greek cultural influence like Greece and Cyprus.

Famous People Named Helen

Helen Keller

American author and disability rights advocate

Helen Mirren

British actress

Helen Hunt

American actress

Helen Sharman

British astronaut

Helen Fielding

British author of Bridget Jones's Diary

Interesting Facts About the Name Helen

Most common surname :

Smith, Johnson, Brown

Most common spouse name :

John, Michael, David

Most common child name :

James, Elizabeth, William

Peak birth year :

1918 in the United States

Characteristics :

Intelligent, charismatic, strongwilled

Professional orientation :

Often found in creative and leadership roles

Historical significance :

Associated with Helen of Troy and Saint Helena

Pop culture significance :

Helen Fielding's character Bridget Jones

Linguistic origin :

Derived from Greek "helene" meaning "torch" or "corposant

Explore Your Genealogy

The most popular genealogy profiles named Helen

Helen Smith	Helen Brown	Helen Johnson	Helen Miller
Helen Murphy	Helen Sullivan	Helen Kelly	Helen Martin
Helen Jones	Helen Wilson	Helen Anderson	Helen Ryan
Helen Williams	Helen Davis	Helen White	Helen O-Brien
Helen Scott	Helen Walsh	Helen Clark	Helen Moore
Helen Kennedy	Helen Campbell	Helen Thompson	Helen Taylor
Helen Butler	Helen Hill	Helen Baker	Helen Murray
Helen Adams	Helen Graham	Helen Stewart	Helen Allen
Helen Morris	Helen Collins	Helen Roberts	Helen Harris
Helen Young	Helen Mitchell	Helen Lee	Helen Turner
Helen Hall	Helen Thomas	Helen McDonald	Helen Ross
Helen Bell	Helen Parker	Helen Cook	Helen Burke
Helen McCarthy	Helen Green	Helen Wood	Helen Flynn
Helen Armstrong	Helen Fisher	Helen Hayes	Helen Burns
Helen Macdonald	Helen Alexander	Helen Brennan	Helen Robertson
Helen Henderson	Helen Oliver	Helen Walker	Helen Robinson
Helen Edwards	Helen Carter	Helen O-Connor	Helen Carroll
Helen King	Helen Rogers	Helen Marshall	Helen Morgan
Helen Cohen	Helen Gallagher	Helen Doyle	Helen Hamilton
Helen Gordon	Helen Lewis	Helen Hughes	Helen Lynch
Helen Hunter	Helen Bennett	Helen Gray	Helen Simpson
Helen Perry	Helen Clarke	Helen Hart	Helen Barry
Helen Powers	Helen Maloney	Helen Fitzgerald	Helen Fitzpatrick
Helen James	Helen Morrison	Helen Donovan	Helen Ferguson
Helen Davidson	Helen Harrison	Helen Daly	Helen Quinn
Helen Henry	Helen Ward	Helen Wright	Helen Thomson
Helen Ellis	Helen Matthews	Helen Simmons	Helen Phillips
Helen Cooper	Helen Crawford	Helen Bishop	Helen Jackson
Helen Wallace	Helen Barnes	Helen Dunn	Helen Higgins
Helen Peterson	Helen Price	Helen Andrews	Helen Black
Helen Fleming	Helen McGrath	Helen Cameron	Helen Bailey
Helen Shaw	Helen Chapman	Helen Stevens	Helen Foster
Helen Richards	Helen Griffin	Helen Howard	Helen Shea
Helen Driscoll	Helen Jordan	Helen Hopkins	Helen Cole
Helen Harvey	Helen Gardner	Helen McGuire	Helen Reynolds
Helen O-Connell	Helen Farrell	Helen Casey	Helen Cronin
Helen Sweeney	Helen Douglas	Helen McLean	Helen Peters
Helen Lyons	Helen Reed	Helen Cox	Helen O-Malley
Helen Ford	Helen Cunningham	Helen Connors	Helen Best
Helen Grzych	Helen Dennis	Helen Hawkins	Helen Palmer
Helen Bradley	Helen Grant	Helen Hicks	Helen Devries
Helen Hudson	Helen Mills	Helen Connolly	Helen McKenzie
Helen Riley	Helen Welsh	Helen Rice	Helen MC-Carthy
Helen Mackenzie	Helen Barber	Helen Hoffman	Helen Russell
Helen Wells	Helen Caldwell	Helen Golden	Helen Marks
Helen Flaherty	Helen Richardson	Helen Wheeler	Helen Harper
Helen Harrington	Helen Patterson	Helen Hickey	Helen Foley
Helen Connelly	Helen Buckley	Helen Welch	Helen Kane
Helen Reilly	Helen O-Neil	Helen Toth	Helen Saunders
Helen Brooks	Helen Bryant	Helen Warner	Helen Schmidt
Helen Gauthier	Helen Woods	Helen O-Grady	Helen Barrett
Helen Simon	Helen Hogan	Helen Leonard	Helen Lambert
Helen Carr	Helen Conway	Helen Carey	Helen Connor
Helen Delaney	Helen O-Donnell	Helen Pelletier	Helen Webb
Helen Ray	Helen Norton	Helen Pike	Helen Miles
Helen Hunt	Helen Wall	Helen Barker	Helen Evans
Helen Fraser	Helen Frank	Helen Kerr	Helen Long
Helen Enright	Helen McLaughlin	Helen Burgess	Helen Coleman
Helen Daniels	Helen Knight	Helen Meyer	Helen Herman
Helen Hubert	Helen Callahan	Helen McCormick	Helen Stone
Helen Hurley	Helen Myers	Helen Snow	Helen Montgomery
Helen Cramer	Helen Pepin	Helen Nolan	Helen Johnston
Helen Brady	Helen Jennings	Helen Lowe	Helen Boyd
Helen Holmes	Helen McCann	Helen Larkin	Helen Potter
Helen McKenna	Helen Cahill	Helen Moran	Helen Power
Helen Doherty	Helen MC-Donald	Helen Poyser	Helen Maxwell
Helen Weber	Helen Roth	Helen Friesen	Helen Duncan
Helen Berry	Helen Dawson	Helen Lawrence	Helen Logan
Helen Greene	Helen McMahon	Helen Burton	Helen Fuller
Helen Schneider	Helen Yaworski	Helen Stuart	Helen Nelson
Helen Dolan	Helen Keating	Helen Mason	Helen Porter
Helen Arnold	Helen Holden	Helen Snyder	Helen Auerbach
Helen Dean	Helen Sutherland	Helen Gibson	Helen Reid
Helen Carpenter	Helen Cummings	Helen Gould	Helen Tierney
Helen Fox	Helen Franklin	Helen Duffy	Helen Pearson
Helen Rhodes	Helen Fields	Helen Wilkinson	Helen Mooney
Helen Kelley	Helen Albert	Helen Roach	Helen Clancy
Helen Donahue	Helen Cleary	Helen Sheehan	Helen McDonell
Helen Broderick	Helen Jakubczyk	Helen Kostick	Helen Conradson
Helen George	Helen Byrd	Helen Ewell	Helen Nichols
Helen Rose	Helen Stephens	Helen Cannon	Helen Novak
Helen Richmond	Helen Findlay	Helen Gilbert	Helen Jensen
Helen Kay	Helen Marie	Helen Powell	Helen Davies
Helen Stevenson	Helen May	Helen Walters	Helen Curtis
Helen McGregor	Helen Hardy	Helen Leblanc	Helen Nicholson
Helen McGee	Helen Norris	Helen Forbes	Helen Holland
Helen Newton	Helen Savage	Helen Donnelly	Helen Purcell
Helen Mott	Helen Menard	Helen Mazur	Helen Waters
Helen Howe	Helen Lang	Helen Daley	Helen Mullen
Helen Boyle	Helen Healy	Helen Hebert	Helen Manning
Helen Gorman	Helen O-Hara	Helen Dwyer	Helen Jania
Helen Atkinson	Helen Mack	Helen Cormier	Helen Goldberg
Helen Jenkins	Helen Bauer	Helen Currie	Helen Donohue
Helen Gagnon	Helen Forrest	Helen Freeman	Helen Hanson
Helen Keith	Helen Webster	Helen Schultz	Helen Briggs
Helen Stanton	Helen Sutton	Helen Lane	Helen McAllister
Helen McCoy	Helen Warren	Helen Bass	Helen Mahar
Helen Barton	Helen Holt	Helen Platt	Helen Knox
Helen Willis	Helen Crowley	Helen Paterson	Helen Osborne
Helen Coyle	Helen Cote	Helen Flanagan	Helen Francis

The most popular genealogy profiles named Helen

Helen Smith	Helen Brown
Helen Johnson	Helen Miller
Helen Murphy	Helen Sullivan
Helen Kelly	Helen Martin
Helen Jones	Helen Wilson
Helen Anderson	Helen Ryan
Helen Williams	Helen Davis
Helen White	Helen O-Brien
Helen Scott	Helen Walsh
Helen Clark	Helen Moore
Helen Kennedy	Helen Campbell
Helen Thompson	Helen Taylor
Helen Butler	Helen Hill
Helen Baker	Helen Murray
Helen Adams	Helen Graham
Helen Stewart	Helen Allen
Helen Morris	Helen Collins
Helen Roberts	Helen Harris
Helen Young	Helen Mitchell
Helen Lee	Helen Turner
Helen Hall	Helen Thomas
Helen McDonald	Helen Ross
Helen Bell	Helen Parker
Helen Cook	Helen Burke
Helen McCarthy	Helen Green
Helen Wood	Helen Flynn
Helen Armstrong	Helen Fisher
Helen Hayes	Helen Burns
Helen Macdonald	Helen Alexander
Helen Brennan	Helen Robertson
Helen Henderson	Helen Oliver
Helen Walker	Helen Robinson
Helen Edwards	Helen Carter
Helen O-Connor	Helen Carroll
Helen King	Helen Rogers
Helen Marshall	Helen Morgan
Helen Cohen	Helen Gallagher
Helen Doyle	Helen Hamilton
Helen Gordon	Helen Lewis
Helen Hughes	Helen Lynch
Helen Hunter	Helen Bennett
Helen Gray	Helen Simpson
Helen Perry	Helen Clarke
Helen Hart	Helen Barry
Helen Powers	Helen Maloney
Helen Fitzgerald	Helen Fitzpatrick
Helen James	Helen Morrison
Helen Donovan	Helen Ferguson
Helen Davidson	Helen Harrison
Helen Daly	Helen Quinn
Helen Henry	Helen Ward
Helen Wright	Helen Thomson
Helen Ellis	Helen Matthews
Helen Simmons	Helen Phillips
Helen Cooper	Helen Crawford
Helen Bishop	Helen Jackson
Helen Wallace	Helen Barnes
Helen Dunn	Helen Higgins
Helen Peterson	Helen Price
Helen Andrews	Helen Black
Helen Fleming	Helen McGrath
Helen Cameron	Helen Bailey
Helen Shaw	Helen Chapman
Helen Stevens	Helen Foster
Helen Richards	Helen Griffin
Helen Howard	Helen Shea
Helen Driscoll	Helen Jordan
Helen Hopkins	Helen Cole
Helen Harvey	Helen Gardner
Helen McGuire	Helen Reynolds
Helen O-Connell	Helen Farrell
Helen Casey	Helen Cronin
Helen Sweeney	Helen Douglas
Helen McLean	Helen Peters
Helen Lyons	Helen Reed
Helen Cox	Helen O-Malley
Helen Ford	Helen Cunningham
Helen Connors	Helen Best
Helen Grzych	Helen Dennis
Helen Hawkins	Helen Palmer
Helen Bradley	Helen Grant
Helen Hicks	Helen Devries
Helen Hudson	Helen Mills
Helen Connolly	Helen McKenzie
Helen Riley	Helen Welsh
Helen Rice	Helen MC-Carthy
Helen Mackenzie	Helen Barber
Helen Hoffman	Helen Russell
Helen Wells	Helen Caldwell
Helen Golden	Helen Marks
Helen Flaherty	Helen Richardson
Helen Wheeler	Helen Harper
Helen Harrington	Helen Patterson
Helen Hickey	Helen Foley
Helen Connelly	Helen Buckley
Helen Welch	Helen Kane
Helen Reilly	Helen O-Neil
Helen Toth	Helen Saunders
Helen Brooks	Helen Bryant
Helen Warner	Helen Schmidt

Similar names to Helen

Explore names phonetically similar to Helen to help you discover related genealogy records.

Elea	Eleanor	Elina	Ellen
Helena	Helene

Explore names phonetically similar to Helen to help you discover related genealogy records.

Elea	Eleanor
Elina	Ellen
Helena	Helene

Explore first names - their meanings, origins, and interesting facts

Continue to explore other first names and their meanings, origins, and interesting facts

Alfred	Alicia	Amelia	Cecilia
Claire	Corinne	Dana	Elisa
Gerald	Leonidas	Liliette	Louisa
Marc	Mario	Milton	Nadia
Phyllis	Terence	Viola	Zelia

Continue to explore other first names and their meanings, origins, and interesting facts

Alfred	Alicia
Amelia	Cecilia
Claire	Corinne
Dana	Elisa
Gerald	Leonidas
Liliette	Louisa
Marc	Mario
Milton	Nadia
Phyllis	Terence
Viola	Zelia

Common family names with Helen

Discover common family names associated with the first name Helen to help you find related genealogy records.

Family Name	Popularity
Smith	0.6%
Brown	0.43%
Johnson	0.32%
Miller	0.31%
Murphy	0.28%
Sullivan	0.27%
Kelly	0.25%
Martin	0.24%
Jones	0.23%
Anderson	0.23%
Wilson	0.23%
Ryan	0.21%
Williams	0.2%
Davis	0.19%
White	0.18%
Scott	0.17%
O-Brien	0.17%
Walsh	0.17%
Clark	0.17%
Moore	0.16%