Helen is a girl's name with a long and legendary history. Meaning "the bright one" in Greek, she was the beautiful queen in Homer's Iliad. Other notable Helens include disabilities activist and author Helen Keller, painter Helen Frankenthaler, and actress Helen Mirren.
Along with Elena and Eliana, other international variations of Helen in the US Top 1000 include Elaina, Elianna, Elina, Helena, Eileen, Nora, Lena, and Ellen. Leni, Eilidh, Elin, and Helene are among the foreign variations that are common abroad but rare in the US.
Helen is experiencing record lows but remains a classic name. If you are looking to honor a special Helen in your life or want a name with a brilliant, time-honored history, explore our list of international variations of Helen.
Meaning: bright, shining one
