Girl's name
Helena
Say it HEL-uh-nuh
Roots in Latin and Greek 3 syllables
Where Helena is loved, common and rare
Common across Poland, six German cities, Austria and three more places. Rare in Canada, Slovenia, Italy and eight more places.
1 in 754 girls born in Ireland in 2025
Poland 14thBerlin 15thMunich 15th
LovedCommonRare
Every place
In 24 of the 40 official lists, among them Poland (14th), Berlin (15th) and Munich (15th).
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| Place | Rank | Girls | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poland | 14th 2025 | 2,493 | 1 in 48 |
| Berlin city | 15th 2023 | 97 | about 1 in 150 |
| Munich city | 15th 2025 | 46 | about 1 in 91 |
| Austria | 23rd 2025 | 273 | 1 in 131 |
| Cologne city | 32nd 2023 | 29 | about 1 in 212 |
| Switzerland | 80th 2025 | 93 | 1 in 366 |
| Catalonia region | 88th 2025 | 50 | 1 in 385 |
| Spain | 91st 2024 | 282 | rank only |
| Quebec province | 125th 2025 | 45 | about 1 in 578 |
| Slovenia | 129th 2025 | 12 | about 1 in 551 |
| Italy | 134th 2024 | 191 | 1 in 938 |
| Ireland | 166th 2025 | 28 | 1 in 754 |
| Norway | 171st 2025 | 28 | 1 in 778 |
| The Netherlands | 202nd 2025 | 72 | about 1 in 847 |
| France as Héléna | 220th 2025 | 545 | 1 in 526 |
| Sweden | 271st 2025 | 27 | about 1 in 1,488 |
| Scotland | 284th 2025 | 12 | 1 in 1,491 |
| England and Wales | 329th 2025 | 131 | 1 in 1,933 |
| Northern Ireland | 334th 2025 | 4 | 1 in 1,822 |
| British Columbia province | 400th 2023 | 8 | about 1 in 1,495 |
| Ontario province | 418th 2024 | 30 | about 1 in 1,816 |
| Bonn city | 50th 2025 | 11 | about 1 in 274 |
| Leipzig city | 52nd 2025 | 10 | about 1 in 262 |
| Rostock city | 62nd 2025 | 3 | about 1 in 328 |
Rare, below the listed names: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, New Zealand, Hungary and Israel.
Not in a short top list, so no figure: Nova Scotia (top 21), Denmark (top 50), Finland (top 50), Iceland (top 10), Estonia (top 25), Moscow (top 61), Turkey (top 30), Argentina (top 20) and Croatia (top 50).
Germany publishes no national statistics on first names. German figures here are city lists (Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Bonn, Leipzig, Rostock), never the country.
Sources: Ministerstwo Cyfryzacji, rejestr PESEL (dane.gov.pl) (Poland); BerlinOnline GmbH; Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten (LABO) / Standesämter (Berlin); Landeshauptstadt München, Statistisches Amt (opendata.muenchen.de) (Munich); Statistik Austria (OGDEXT_VORNAMEN_1) (Austria); Stadt Köln, Standesamt (offenedaten-koeln.de) (Cologne); Bundesamt für Statistik (BFS) / Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS) (Switzerland); Idescat (Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya) (Catalonia); INE (Instituto Nacional de Estadística) (Spain); Retraite Québec (Banque de prénoms, Données Québec) (Quebec); Statistični urad Republike Slovenije (SURS), SiStat (Slovenia); ISTAT, Contanomi (Italy); Central Statistics Office (CSO) (Ireland); Statistics Norway (SSB) (Norway); Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) (the Netherlands); INSEE, Fichier des prénoms (édition 2025) (France); Skatteverket (Swedish Tax Agency) (Sweden); National Records of Scotland (Scotland); Office for National Statistics (England and Wales); NISRA (Northern Ireland); BC Vital Statistics Agency (BC Data Catalogue) (British Columbia); Ontario Office of the Registrar General (Ontario Data Catalogue) (Ontario); Bundesstadt Bonn, Standesamt (opendata.bonn.de) (Bonn); Stadt Leipzig, Standesamt (opendata.leipzig.de) (Leipzig); Hanse- und Universitätsstadt Rostock (opendata-hro.de) (Rostock). How we count, and every source
About the name
Helena is the Latin form of Helen, borrowed from the Ancient Greek Helene. Helen of Troy in Greek mythology gave the name its most famous story, and Saint Helena, mother of the emperor Constantine, gave it a Christian one.
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In English it is usually HEL-uh-nuh, three syllables with the stress on the first. Helen, Ellen, Elena and Lena are its closest relatives, French uses Héléna, and Lena is a natural short form.
Helena is in the top fifteen in Poland and well used in Austria and Switzerland. In the English-speaking world it is more modest, most used in Quebec, Ireland and Scotland. It is rising in eleven countries, and in France it reached a new high in 2025, having been in steady use there for generations.
Meaning, origin, pronunciation
- Pronounced
- HEL-uh-nuh, 3 syllables
- Origin
- Latin and Greek
Counted together here: Héléna.
Etymology
A Latinate form of Helen, borrowed from Latin Helena, from Ancient Greek Helene.
From the Wiktionary entry, CC BY-SA 4.0, shortened.
Over time
Over five years: rising in 11 of 24 regions, falling in 3.
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Rank in each place since 1996; higher on the chart is more popular.
Ten years of ranks
Her rank each year, English-speaking regions first. A blank means no published rank for her that year.
| Region | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | 280 | 272 | 279 | 269 | 327 | 328 | 327 | 297 | 371 | 329 |
| Scotland | 336 | 304 | 301 | 224 | 341 | 363 | 260 | 263 | 790 | 284 |
| Ireland | 187 | 189 | 255 | 235 | 220 | 258 | 304 | 247 | 181 | 166 |
| Ontario | 402 | 375 | 368 | 214 | 315 | 390 | 343 | 333 | 418 | |
| British Columbia | 345 | 596 | 370 | 375 | 290 | 446 | 264 | 400 | ||
| South Australia | 230 | 395 | ||||||||
| Quebec | 262 | 177 | 210 | 228 | 221 | 240 | 276 | 147 | 191 | 125 |
| France | 368 | 345 | 297 | 334 | 316 | 319 | 359 | 326 | 230 | 220 |
| The Netherlands | 193 | 203 | 182 | 206 | 200 | 258 | 261 | 229 | 202 | |
| Austria | 30 | 29 | 32 | 28 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 26 | 25 | 23 |
| Switzerland | 88 | 83 | 80 | 92 | 100 | 81 | 89 | 114 | 76 | 80 |
| Berlin | 26 | 27 | 38 | 35 | 32 | 27 | 23 | 15 | ||
| Munich | 17 | 17 | 20 | 17 | 27 | 20 | 10 | 26 | 14 | 15 |
| Cologne | 47 | 48 | 47 | 60 | 82 | 53 | 58 | 32 | ||
| Bonn | 81 | 33 | 85 | 42 | 41 | 61 | 40 | 41 | 84 | 50 |
| Leipzig | 17 | 35 | 36 | 15 | 46 | 22 | 19 | 29 | 6 | 52 |
| Rostock | 136 | 51 | 56 | 36 | 62 | 26 | 50 | 47 | 7 | 62 |
| Norway | 112 | 103 | 86 | 101 | 119 | 123 | 122 | 116 | 103 | 171 |
| Sweden | 305 | 281 | 271 | 248 | 325 | 284 | 387 | 270 | 328 | 271 |
| Iceland | 83 | 38 | ||||||||
| Spain | 76 | 85 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 82 | 87 | 95 | 91 | |
| Catalonia | 65 | 90 | 71 | 81 | 97 | 78 | 77 | 90 | 75 | 88 |
| Italy | 192 | 189 | 161 | 152 | 145 | 168 | 123 | 134 | 134 | |
| Poland | 27 | 26 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 14 |
| Slovenia | 152 | 200 | 149 | 136 | 209 | 147 | 179 | 129 |
England and Wales, 1996 to 2025
| Year | Rank | Girls | per 100,000 girls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 329 | 131 | 51.7 |
| 2024 | 371 | 117 | 45.4 |
| 2023 | 297 | 147 | 57.3 |
| 2022 | 327 | 132 | 50.1 |
| 2021 | 328 | 145 | 52.9 |
| 2020 | 327 | 140 | 52.2 |
| 2019 | 269 | 179 | 63.9 |
| 2018 | 279 | 170 | 59.0 |
| 2017 | 272 | 180 | 60.2 |
| 2016 | 280 | 178 | 58.0 |
| 2015 | 300 | 159 | 51.6 |
| 2014 | 291 | 164 | 53.5 |
| 2013 | 339 | 135 | 43.8 |
| 2012 | 344 | 141 | 43.8 |
| 2011 | 328 | 146 | 45.4 |
| 2010 | 333 | 141 | 43.9 |
| 2009 | 330 | 134 | 42.8 |
| 2008 | 304 | 154 | 48.8 |
| 2007 | 311 | 148 | 48.3 |
| 2006 | 252 | 186 | 62.2 |
| 2005 | 300 | 140 | 48.6 |
| 2004 | 278 | 149 | 52.1 |
| 2003 | 274 | 150 | 53.8 |
| 2002 | 228 | 183 | 68.4 |
| 2001 | 197 | 209 | 78.0 |
| 2000 | 196 | 212 | 77.6 |
| 1999 | 169 | 266 | 94.4 |
| 1998 | 161 | 278 | 96.1 |
| 1997 | 162 | 279 | 95.2 |
| 1996 | 145 | 308 | 104.1 |
Sources: Office for National Statistics (1996-2025), OGL v3.
France since 1925
Half of the babies named Helena in France since 1925 were born in or after 2001. First recorded in 1925. Her peak year there: 2025, at 190.0 per 100,000 girls.
Babies named Helena per 100,000 girls born in France, by five-year period.
Sources: INSEE, Fichier des prénoms (édition 2025) (1900-2025), Licence Ouverte / Etalab 2.0.
Sister names for Helena
1 in 251 in Northern Ireland
Rose and fell with Helena.
1 in 389 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Helena.
1 in 729 in Northern Ireland
Rose and fell with Helena.
1 in 1,041 in Northern Ireland
Rose and fell with Helena.
1 in 166 in Northern Ireland
1 in 571 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Helena.
1 in 515 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Helena.
1 in 228 in Northern Ireland
Rose and fell with Helena.
1 in 491 in Ireland
1 in 334 in England and Wales
Rose and fell with Helena.
Middle names for Helena
1 in 107 in Northern Ireland
Helena Charlotte
3-2 beats · initials HC
Changes the beat after Helena: 3 syllables, then 2 syllables.
1 in 86 in Ireland
Helena Sophie
3-2 beats · initials HS
Changes the beat after Helena: 3 syllables, then 2 syllables.
1 in 57 in Northern Ireland
Helena Grace
3-1 beats · initials HG
Changes the beat after Helena: 3 syllables, then 1 syllable.
1 in 71 in Scotland
Helena Olivia
3-4 beats · initials HO · Helena slides into Olivia: vowel meets vowel.
Changes the beat after Helena: 3 syllables, then 4 syllables. Helena slides into Olivia: vowel meets vowel.
1 in 102 in Ireland
Helena Mia
3-2 beats · initials HM
Changes the beat after Helena: 3 syllables, then 2 syllables.
1 in 132 in Northern Ireland
Helena Ruby
3-2 beats · initials HR
Changes the beat after Helena: 3 syllables, then 2 syllables.
1 in 214 in Northern Ireland
Helena Rose
3-1 beats · initials HR
Changes the beat after Helena: 3 syllables, then 1 syllable.
1 in 173 in Northern Ireland
Helena Nora
3-2 beats · initials HN
Changes the beat after Helena: 3 syllables, then 2 syllables.
Same style as Helena
Names whose popularity rose and fell with hers across regions and decades.
1 in 491 in Ireland
98% alike: moves with Helena across countries and decades.
1 in 852 in Scotland
96% alike: moves with Helena across countries and decades.
1 in 1,243 in Ireland
96% alike: moves with Helena across countries and decades.
1 in 260 in Northern Ireland
96% alike: moves with Helena across countries and decades.
1 in 571 in Ireland
95% alike: moves with Helena across countries and decades.
1 in 515 in Ireland
95% alike: moves with Helena across countries and decades.
1 in 311 in Ireland
94% alike: moves with Helena across countries and decades.
1 in 1,193 in Scotland
94% alike: moves with Helena across countries and decades.
Famous people named Helena
Helena Bonham Carter, Helena Blavatsky, Helena Rubinstein, Helena Christensen, Helena Suková, Helena Gualinga, Helena Zengel and Helena Fibingerová.
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British actress (born 1966)
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Russian occult writer (1831-1891)
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Polish-American businesswoman, art collector, and philanthropist 1872 to 1965
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Danish model and photographer born 1968
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Czech tennis player and psychologist born 1965
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Ecuadorian activist born 2002
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German actress born 2008
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Czechoslovak shot-putter born 1949
People: Wikidata (CC0), linked to Wikipedia in this page's language when an article exists.
Questions about Helena
4 questions, on how popular she is, how to say it, whether she is rising and sister names.
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How popular is Helena?
Her best rank is No. 14 in Poland in 2025, about 1 in 48 girls. She is in the published lists of 24 of our 40 regions.
How do you pronounce Helena?
HEL-uh-nuh, with 3 syllables.
Is Helena getting more popular?
Over five years: rising in 11 of 24 regions, falling in 3.
Which sister names go with Helena?
The deck's top five sisters for Helena: Lucia, Flora, Victoria, Anastasia and Clara. Each is scored on style, era, popularity and origin, with sound clashes flagged.