The first name Helen
A girl’s name from Greek.
Pronounced /ˈhɛlən/ 2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Greek origin
From French Hélène, from Latin Helena, from Ancient Greek Ἑλένη (Helénē). Doublet of Elaine.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 52 girls were named Helen, making it the 705th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 435 births (#108).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Helen with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Helen at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 668 girls born in the United States were named Helen, the 462nd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1918, when 36,148 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Helen in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Helen
242 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Helen KellerAmerican deafblind author, political activist, lecturer, scholar (1880-1968)
- Helen MirrenBritish actress (born 1945)
- Helen HuntAmerican actress, born 1963
- Helen HayesAmerican actress (1900–1993)
- Helen McCroryBritish actress (1968–2021)
- Helen FieldingEnglish novelist and screenwriter (born 1958)
- Helen SharmanBritish chemist who became the first Briton in space, born 1963
- Helen ThomasAmerican author and journalist, 1920–2013
- Helen Herron TaftFirst Lady of the United States from 1909 to 1913
- Helen FrankenthalerAmerican painter (1928–2011)
- Helen ReddyAustralian and American singer and actress (1941–2020)
- Helen WillsAmerican tennis player (1905–1998)
More Greek girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Helen mean?
- From French Hélène, from Latin Helena, from Ancient Greek Ἑλένη (Helénē). Doublet of Elaine.
- What is the origin of the name Helen?
- From French Hélène, from Latin Helena, from Ancient Greek Ἑλένη (Helénē). Doublet of Elaine.
- How popular is the name Helen?
- In 2025, 52 girls born in England and Wales were named Helen, ranking 705th. Its peak was 1996, with 435 births.
- What are nicknames for Helen?
- Common nicknames for Helen include Nellie, Hel.
- Is Helen a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 1,027,307 US babies named Helen since 1880 were girls.
- When was Helen most popular?
- 1918 in the United States, when 36,148 babies were named Helen, its highest rank at 2nd.
- How do you pronounce Helen?
- Helen is /ˈhɛlən/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Helen?
- Helon.