The first name Helena
A girl’s name from Greek.
Pronounced /ˈhɛlənə/ 3 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Greek origin
A Latinate form of Helen, borrowed from Latin Helena.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 131 girls were named Helena, making it the 329th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 308 births (#145).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Helena with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Helena at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 841 girls born in the United States were named Helena, the 363rd most popular girls’ name that year.
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.
Famous people named Helena
108 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Helena Bonham CarterBritish actress (born 1966)
- Cecilia Helena Payne GaposchkinBritish-born American astronomer, 1900–1979
- Helena ChristensenDanish model and photographer, born 1968
- Helena SukováCzech tennis player and psychologist, born 1965
- Helena GualingaEcuadorian activist, born 2002
- Helena ZengelGerman actress, born 2008
- Helena FibingerováCzechoslovak shot-putter, born 1949
- Helena NoguerraBelgian actress and singer, born 1969
- Katri HelenaFinnish singer, born 1945
- Princess Helena Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-GlücksburgDanish princess (1888-1962)
- Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-HolsteinBritish princess, 1870–1948
- Helena of BulgariaBulgarian princess, 1400–1374
More Greek girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Helena mean?
- A Latinate form of Helen, borrowed from Latin Helena.
- What is the origin of the name Helena?
- A Latinate form of Helen, borrowed from Latin Helena.
- How popular is the name Helena?
- In 2025, 131 girls born in England and Wales were named Helena, ranking 329th. Its peak was 1996, with 308 births.
- Is Helena a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 40,412 US babies named Helena since 1880 were girls.
- When was Helena most popular?
- 2025 in the United States, when 841 babies were named Helena, its highest rank at 363rd.
- How do you pronounce Helena?
- Helena is /ˈhɛlənə/, 3 syllables.