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The short answer
Helen is a feminine name used in English and Swedish. Behind the Name describes it this way: "English form of the Greek Ἑλένη (Helene), probably from Greek ἑλένη (helene) meaning ‘torch’, or possibly related to σελήνη (selene) meaning ‘moon’. In Greek mythology Helen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, whose kidnapping by Paris was the cause of the Trojan War." It ranked #462 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, english form of the Greek Ἑλένη (Helene), probably from Greek ἑλένη (helene) meaning ‘torch’, or possibly related to σελήνη (selene) meaning ‘moon’. In Greek mythology Helen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, whose kidnapping by Paris was the cause of the Trojan War. The entry lists its usage as English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and others.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Helen ranked #462 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #462 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Helen in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Helen mean?
Helen means "torch", according to Behind the Name.
Is Helen a popular name?
Helen ranked #462 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Helen a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Helen appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it feminine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Helen — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
