Girl nameCurrently #424 in the USSteady
Helen
HEL-un//ˈhɛlən//
2 syllablesPeak year: 19185 lettersStarts with H
Meaning & origin
Torch, or shining light (disputed)
Helen's precise root is debated, most often linked to a Greek word for torch or light, though it may also connect to an older pre-Greek term. As Helen of Troy, 'the face that launched a thousand ships', it is one of the oldest and most storied names in Western literature.
Helen's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Helen |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 636 |
| 1881 | 619 |
| 1882 | 838 |
| 1883 | 867 |
| 1884 | 986 |
| 1885 | 1,140 |
| 1886 | 1,267 |
| 1887 | 1,405 |
| 1888 | 1,852 |
| 1889 | 1,917 |
| 1890 | 2,319 |
| 1891 | 2,426 |
| 1892 | 2,943 |
| 1893 | 3,257 |
| 1894 | 3,684 |
| 1895 | 4,040 |
| 1896 | 4,402 |
| 1897 | 4,535 |
| 1898 | 5,247 |
| 1899 | 5,064 |
| 1900 | 6,360 |
| 1901 | 5,264 |
| 1902 | 5,997 |
| 1903 | 6,158 |
| 1904 | 6,503 |
| 1905 | 6,837 |
| 1906 | 7,202 |
| 1907 | 7,599 |
| 1908 | 8,469 |
| 1909 | 9,286 |
| 1910 | 10,509 |
| 1911 | 11,847 |
| 1912 | 16,171 |
| 1913 | 18,939 |
| 1914 | 23,275 |
| 1915 | 30,926 |
| 1916 | 32,744 |
| 1917 | 34,312 |
| 1918 | 36,228 |
| 1919 | 33,766 |
| 1920 | 35,160 |
| 1921 | 34,888 |
| 1922 | 32,577 |
| 1923 | 31,548 |
| 1924 | 31,273 |
| 1925 | 29,253 |
| 1926 | 26,959 |
| 1927 | 25,409 |
| 1928 | 23,025 |
| 1929 | 21,059 |
| 1930 | 19,996 |
| 1931 | 17,731 |
| 1932 | 16,465 |
| 1933 | 14,726 |
| 1934 | 14,150 |
| 1935 | 12,851 |
| 1936 | 12,286 |
| 1937 | 11,520 |
| 1938 | 10,902 |
| 1939 | 10,464 |
| 1940 | 10,241 |
| 1941 | 9,936 |
| 1942 | 10,053 |
| 1943 | 9,838 |
| 1944 | 8,732 |
| 1945 | 8,330 |
| 1946 | 8,886 |
| 1947 | 9,003 |
| 1948 | 8,323 |
| 1949 | 7,734 |
| 1950 | 7,079 |
| 1951 | 6,964 |
| 1952 | 6,481 |
| 1953 | 6,143 |
| 1954 | 5,961 |
| 1955 | 5,611 |
| 1956 | 5,296 |
| 1957 | 5,034 |
| 1958 | 4,789 |
| 1959 | 4,389 |
| 1960 | 4,080 |
| 1961 | 3,870 |
| 1962 | 3,603 |
| 1963 | 3,346 |
| 1964 | 3,109 |
| 1965 | 2,815 |
| 1966 | 2,452 |
| 1967 | 2,164 |
| 1968 | 1,896 |
| 1969 | 1,868 |
| 1970 | 1,727 |
| 1971 | 1,449 |
| 1972 | 1,250 |
| 1973 | 1,136 |
| 1974 | 1,148 |
| 1975 | 1,065 |
| 1976 | 952 |
| 1977 | 1,000 |
| 1978 | 930 |
| 1979 | 883 |
| 1980 | 913 |
| 1981 | 899 |
| 1982 | 876 |
| 1983 | 844 |
| 1984 | 865 |
| 1985 | 814 |
| 1986 | 774 |
| 1987 | 816 |
| 1988 | 781 |
| 1989 | 868 |
| 1990 | 870 |
| 1991 | 779 |
| 1992 | 828 |
| 1993 | 873 |
| 1994 | 854 |
| 1995 | 838 |
| 1996 | 900 |
| 1997 | 812 |
| 1998 | 832 |
| 1999 | 841 |
| 2000 | 891 |
| 2001 | 884 |
| 2002 | 875 |
| 2003 | 783 |
| 2004 | 866 |
| 2005 | 961 |
| 2006 | 949 |
| 2007 | 932 |
| 2008 | 885 |
| 2009 | 826 |
| 2010 | 704 |
| 2011 | 731 |
| 2012 | 772 |
| 2013 | 740 |
| 2014 | 802 |
| 2015 | 767 |
| 2016 | 816 |
| 2017 | 763 |
| 2018 | 745 |
| 2019 | 743 |
| 2020 | 721 |
| 2021 | 704 |
| 2022 | 749 |
| 2023 | 776 |
| 2024 | 726 |
Helen through the decades
- Helen peaked in 1918, when 36,228 babies were named Helen in the US.
- The 1920s were Helen's strongest decade, averaging 29,115 births a year.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Helen has fallen 10% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Helen currently ranks #424 in the US and is holding steady.
Nicknames
LenaNell
Variants & spellings
HelenaElena
Famous people named Helen
- Helen Keller — author and disability rights advocate