Origin, Meaning And History Of Helen
The name Helen is commonly given to girls and is derived from the Greek name ‘Ἑλένη’ or ‘Helenē,’ which comes from the Proto-Hellenic ‘Ηwelénā’ or the Proto-Indo-European ‘Swelénā,’ a solar deity. Its meaning can be interpreted as ‘light,’ ‘to shine,’ ‘warm,’ ‘moon,’ or ‘sun.’
海伦神话和历史上了自己的烙印,with one of the most famous Helens being Helen of Troy, considered the most beautiful woman in the world and worshiped as a goddess by the people of Laconia and Rhodes. Another notable figure is Saint Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine I, whom many Christians reference when naming their daughters Helen.
Several powerful women in history also shared the name, such as Helen of Greece and Denmark, queen mother of Romania, and Helen of Anjou, queen consort of the Serbian Kingdom. The name has multiple variations in different languages, including Ellen, Elin, Eline, Elena, Helena, and Hellene, as well as English diminutives like Nelly, Nellie, Nell, Nelle, Ella, Ellie, Elly, and Elle.
There are also spelling variations in other languages and cultures, such as Elain in Arthurian Romance, Ela, Jelka, and Jela in Croatian, Helena, Alena, and Lenka in Czech, Heleen or Heleentje in Dutch, Aliona, Alyonka, and Alyona in Russian, and Elena or Ileana in Spanish.
The name Helen has also been used for several fictional characters, such asHelen Mansonin the sci-fi film sequel ‘The Invisible Man Returns,’Helen Morgendorfferin the animated series ‘Daria,’ andHelen Parr, also known as Mrs. Incredible or Elastigirl, in the Pixar animated film ‘The Incredibles.’ There isHelen Buckmanin the American comedy film Parenthood release in 1989. She is the older sister of the protagonist Gil Buckman played by Steve Martin. We also saw a character named Helen in the 1990 hit Edward Scissorhands which was portrayed by Conchata Ferrell.
How To Pronounce Helen?
Famous People With The Name Helen
- Helen Field ComstockAmerican poet and philanthropist, writer for the Chicago Tribune and had her works incorporated in Poets of America
- Helen Joy DavidmanAmerican poet and write, referred to as a child prodigy and won the Yale Series of Younger Poets Competition in 1938 and the Russell Loines Award for Poetry in 1939
- Helen FrankenthalerAmerican abstract expressionist painter, received the National Medal of Arts in 2001 and established a foundation known as Helen Frankenthaler Foundation
- Helen Hayes MacArthurAmerican actress, known as First Lady of American Theatre and was the first woman to have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award (an EGOT)
- Helen Elizabeth HuntAmerican actress and director, won numerous awards such as an Academy Award, four Primetime Emmy Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards
- Helen Hull JacobsAmerican tennis player, won nine Grand Slam titles and was ranked No. 1 in singles
- Helen O’ConnellAmerican singer, actress, and hostess, described as the quintessential big band singer of the 1940s
- Helen Maxine ReddyAustralian-American singer, actress, television host, and activist, won an AMA for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist in 1974
- Helen Hinsdale RichAmerican writer and poet, known as The Poet of the Adirondacks
- Helen Rachel SlaterAmerican actress and singer-songwriter, known for her role as Supergirl in the 1984 film and was named as one of the honorees in DC Comics’ 50th anniversary publication
Helen On The Popularity Chart
The name Helen has had an inconsistent journey in the popularity and ranking charts of the US Social Security Administration. Head on to the graphs below for a better understanding.
Popularity Over Time
The popularity of the name has been rocky. The late 80s saw the name losing popularity and regaining it again by the early 90s. The name’s popularity continued to fluctuate in the following years. It hit its biggest peak in 2005 with 960 babies per million sharing the name.
Source:Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
With time, the ranking of Helen has been decreasing. The highest rank that the name held was 272 in 1980, making it one of the Top 500 baby names in the U.S.
Source:Social Security AdministrationNames With Similar Sound As Helen
If you like the sound of Helen, below are a few more options to choose from with a similar ring to it.
Popular Sibling Names For Helen
Other Popular Names Beginning With H
Names With Similar Meaning As Helen
Helen is a name steeped in history. If you’re looking for more names like Helen, we have provided a few suggestions for you.
Infographic: Know The Name’s Personality As Per Numerology
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Get high-quality PDF version by clicking below.
Download Infographic
How To Communicate The Name In Other Languages
In Nautical Flags
helen
In Sign Language
helen
In Braille Alphabet
helen
In Morse Code
helen
Name Numerology For Helen
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the meaning of the name Helen?
The name Helen means ‘light’ or ‘warm.’
2. What is the origin of the name Helen?
Helen has a Greek origin.
3. How to pronounce the name Helen?
Helen is pronounced as he-len.
4. Is Helen a popular baby name?
Helen has been a reasonably popular name for babies in the US in recent times. In 2022, 747 babies shared this name and it was in the 421st position in terms of popularity (1).
5. Is Helen an old-fashioned name?
Helen has been around for quite some time now. Starting from Greek mythology, this name has appeared in almost all forms of literature. However, it is one of the names that can be considered trendy and timeless. It is relevant even today.
6. What is the French version of Helen?
7. Is Helen a Victorian name?
Though Helen predates the Victorian era, the name saw a surge in popularity between 1880 to 1930. Hence, it can be considered to be a Victorian name too.
References:
- Baby names.
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/
