Helena Baby Name: Meaning, Origin, Middle Name Pairings & More

The baby name Helena may sound vintage, but it has a royal background. The name is associated with the daughter of Zeus in Greek mythology and with one of the patron saints of the Christian church. Now, it is close to a top 500 name for baby girls.

Meaning of the name Helena:

Latin: bright, shining light

Origin of the name Helena:

Helena originated as the Latin version of the baby name Helen. Both come from the Green name Helene, which is from the Greek word spelled the same. The first Helen was actually the daughter of Zeus who was kidnapped to start the Trojan War. The baby name Helena became a popular Latin version around the fourth century when Saint Helena, who was the mother of Constantine, became well-known.

Symbolism of the name Helena:

Helena likely comes from the Greek word “helene” which means “torch” or “corposant.” This would make sense then, for the meaning to be “shining light” or “bright.”

Style of the name Helena:

Classical

Gender of the name Helena:

Helena is a classical and ancient name for baby girls.

Pronunciation of the name Helena:

he-LAYN-uh or he-LEEN-uh

Number of syllables in the name Helena:

Three

Emotion evoked from the name Helena:

Helena feels upper class and regal. It has a bit of a delicacy and vintage understatement to it as well.

Alternative spellings for the name Helena:

• Helenna
• Hellena
• Hellenna
• Helina
• Hellina
• Heleena

Nicknames for the name Helena:

• Helen 
• Lena 
• Elle 
• Ellie 
• Hela
• Heli
• Lenie

Popularity of the name Helena:

Helena, as of the year 2020, ranks at 509 for girls. The name was the most popular in the year 1902 at rank 270, however. It has fluctuated back and forth on the top 500 list and back to the top 1,000 list for the past century.

Related names for the name Helena:

• Helen 
• Diana 
• Edith 
• Theodora 
• Louisa 
• Catherine 
• Margaret 
• Athena 

Great middle names for Helena and their meanings:

• Ivy (evergreen climbing plant)
• Phoebe (bright, shining)
• Claire (clear)
• Eloise (healthy, wide)
• Margaret (pearl)
• Ruby (red gemstone)
• Simone (hear, listen)
• Theresa (late summer)

Famous people with the name Helena:

• Helena Carter (actress, “Invaders from Mars”)
• Helena Devereux (famous educator)
• Helena Dow (Olympic fencer)
• Helena Modjeska (Shakespearean actress)
• Helena Mattsson (actress, “Code of Honor”)
• Helena Sukova (tennis player)

Helenas in popular culture:

• Helena Henstridge (character from “The Royals”)
• Helena Harford (character from “Eyes Wide Shut”)
• Helena Wells (character from “Warehouse 13”)
• Helena Pierce (character from “Borderlands” video game)
• Helena Cassadine (character from “General Hospital”)
• Helena (character from “Orphan Black”)