Helena is a girl name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Helena means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Helena across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Helena has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Helena is a girl name of Greek origin meaning “torch, light”. A form of Helen, from Greek helene.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 40,412 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 5,056 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 536 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 71 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 2,935 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Helena per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 2025 (841/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (308/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1969 (110/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2012 (20/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1998 (6/yr).
Helena has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 2025, when it ranked #750 nationally (given to 1,012 babies that year).
Helen · Helene · Hellen · Helyn · Helaine · Hulon · Helon · Hellon
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