Helena
Say it: HEL-e-na/ˈhɛlənə/
GirlMeans a form of Helen, whose meaning is uncertain6 letters3 syllables
#166
in Ireland (2025)
#168 with spellings combined
28
babies in 2025
#63
best rank (1964)
2,935
babies since 1964
Up 76
10-year rank change
Helena through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28 | #168 |
| 2024 | 25 | #181 |
| 2023 | 16 | #248 |
| 2022 | 14 | #306 |
| 2021 | 17 | #259 |
| 2020 | 20 | #222 |
| 2019 | 20 | #236 |
| 2018 | 18 | #255 |
| 2017 | 27 | #189 |
| 2016 | 27 | #187 |
| 2015 | 21 | #244 |
| 2014 | 20 | #253 |
| 2013 | 15 | #316 |
| 2012 | 16 | #318 |
| 2011 | 10 | #442 |
| 2010 | 11 | #423 |
| 2009 | 26 | #215 |
| 2008 | 15 | #323 |
| 2007 | 22 | #222 |
| 2006 | 13 | #303 |
| 2005 | 14 | #263 |
| 2004 | 17 | #222 |
| 2003 | 13 | #263 |
| 2002 | 11 | #289 |
| 2001 | 16 | #217 |
| 2000 | 10 | #284 |
| 1999 | 12 | #245 |
| 1998 | 15 | #203 |
| 1997 | 28 | #164 |
| 1996 | 35 | #143 |
| 1995 | 36 | #136 |
| 1994 | 28 | #158 |
| 1993 | 32 | #150 |
| 1992 | 37 | #144 |
| 1991 | 40 | #130 |
| 1990 | 32 | #155 |
| 1989 | 43 | #125 |
| 1988 | 46 | #124 |
| 1987 | 35 | #152 |
| 1986 | 61 | #110 |
| 1985 | 71 | #102 |
| 1984 | 69 | #105 |
| 1983 | 68 | #109 |
| 1982 | 72 | #112 |
| 1981 | 79 | #100 |
| 1980 | 88 | #100 |
| 1979 | 82 | #98 |
| 1978 | 89 | #88 |
| 1977 | 104 | #79 |
| 1976 | 83 | #100 |
| 1975 | 96 | #85 |
| 1974 | 86 | #103 |
| 1973 | 87 | #98 |
| 1972 | 93 | #88 |
| 1971 | 107 | #79 |
| 1970 | 108 | #76 |
| 1969 | 110 | #70 |
| 1968 | 101 | #72 |
| 1967 | 107 | #67 |
| 1966 | 103 | #68 |
| 1965 | 92 | #69 |
| 1964 | 98 | #63 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Helena mean?
A form of Helen, whose meaning is uncertain
Latin form of Helen, from the Greek Helenē.
Say it right
HELena
Some people say hel-EE-na or hel-AY-na, with the stress in the middle.
The story of Helena
Helena is the Latin form of Helen, which comes from the Greek Helenē. The meaning of the Greek name is not known for certain. It has often been linked to words for light or a torch, but scholars do not agree. In Greek myth Helen of Troy was the woman whose flight with Paris started the Trojan War.
The name spread through Christian Europe thanks to Saint Helena, the mother of the Roman emperor Constantine. She is remembered for a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, where tradition says she found the True Cross.
Helena was already well used in Ireland when the CSO records begin, and its best rank was number 63 in 1964. It had most babies in 1969, with 110. It then became much less common, but it has picked up again recently, and in 2025, 28 girls were named Helena.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Helena (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Helena (given name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Helena | 28 | 2,935 |
In Northern Ireland
#334 in 2025 with 4 babies. Best rank #229 (1998); 75 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.