Helena
How to say it: huh-LAY-nuh · /həˈleɪnə/
Latinized form of Greek Helen; from 'helene' meaning torch or light, possibly linked to 'Selene' (moon).
Helena was the 387th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 841 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1880s, its births are up about 44% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #337 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #387 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 841 |
| Share of births | 1 in 3,942 |
| Peak decade | 1880s |
| Change over 10 years | +44% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #337 |
| In France, 2025 | #115 among girls’ names, 545 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Nearly vanished after its height in the 1880s, Helena went quiet through the 1950s. It has come back to near its peak and is expected to rise.
What goes with it
Soft and airy with a glowing light theme drawn from mythology. Eleanor shares its graceful style and Lena makes an easy short form.
Middle names that flow with Helena →
Parents who love Helena also love
Nicknames
- Helen
- Lena
- Nell
- Nellie
- Hel
Honouring a Helena in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Helena is about 1 in 165.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish.
In France: #115 for girls in 2025.
England and Wales: #331. Ireland: #169.
Famous people named Helena
- Helena Bonham Carter (born 1966)British actress
- Helena Blavatsky (1831–1891)Russian occult writer
- Helena Christensen (born 1968)Danish model and photographer
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
Keep exploring
About as popular as Helena
In the same lists
Find names you'll both love, starting with Helena
The one-minute style quiz.