
The short answer
Helena is a feminine name used in German and Dutch. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Latinate form of Helen. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's play All's Well That Ends Well (1603)." It ranked #363 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, latinate form of Helen. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's play All's Well That Ends Well (1603). The entry lists its usage as German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish and others.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Helena ranked #363 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 | #363 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (German) and that sit near Helena in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Helena mean?
Behind the Name does not give Helena a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: latinate form of Helen.
Is Helena a popular name?
Helena ranked #363 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Helena a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Helena appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it feminine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Helena — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.