Helen
A girls’ name of Greek origin, meaning bright, shining light.
How Helen has moved
View as table
| Year | US rank |
|---|---|
| 2015 | #419 |
| 2016 | #409 |
| 2017 | #418 |
| 2018 | #414 |
| 2019 | #427 |
| 2020 | #425 |
| 2021 | #443 |
| 2022 | #421 |
| 2023 | #397 |
| 2024 | #424 |
| 2025 | #462 |
Helen by the numbers
In 2025, 52 babies in England and Wales were named Helen. In the US, 758 were, though that figure is from 2017, the most recent full year we hold.
For the size of the two countries, it is given noticeably more often in the US than in England and Wales.
Its American peak was 36,148 babies in 1918, so it is a 1910s name that has since fallen a long way.
At its height, in 1915, about 1 in 33 American girls born that year was called Helen.
Names that come from Helen
Forms of Helen in other languages, names built from it, and names that mean a son or daughter of it. Not always the same sex.
- Elainabright light; a form of Helen1,137 in the US (2017)
- Lanabright or fair; a form of Helen or Alana185 in England and Wales (2025)
- Aleenabright, shining; a form of Helen or Alena150 in England and Wales (2025)
- Elainebright light; form of Helen506 in the US (2017)
- Alenabright, shining; form of Helen462 in the US (2017)
- Nelliebright shining one; diminutive of Helen458 in England and Wales (2025)
- Aileenbright; shining; a form of Helen454 in the US (2017)
- Ellenbright, shining; form of Helen383 in the US (2017)
Spelled almost the same
Other names in the records within a letter or two of Helen. Close spellings are not always related names, but they are usually worth seeing together.
Sounds like Helen
Names that are said the same way as Helen, however they are written. Sounding alike does not mean they share a history.
Other names that mean light
Like Helen, each of these has light in its meaning. Different names, different histories, the same idea.
Names about as common as Helen
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