How to say it
HEL · e · na
/ˈhɛl.ə.nə/
Feminine
Helena
Torch, light
What it means
The elaborated form of Helen, from a Greek root tied to 'torch' and 'shining light.'
Helena is the fuller form of Helen, from a Greek root linked to 'torch' and bright, shining light. St. Helena, mother of the emperor Constantine, was said to have found the True Cross, and Shakespeare used the name twice. It runs across Europe in many forms and belongs to the luminous Helen family with Elena and Eleanor. You'll hear both HEL-uh-na and huh-LAY-na. Lena and Nell are the shorts.
Popularity over time
peaked at #194 in 1881, currently #363 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pronunciation
HEL-uh-na and huh-LAY-na both circulate.
- Nickname
Lena and Nell come out of it; same 'light' root as Elena and Eleanor.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- St. Helena mother of Emperor Constantine, credited with finding the True Cross
- Helena Bonham Carter English actress
Spelling variants
- Helene
- Elena
- Yelena
Names with the same feeling
See Helena from another angle
By meaning
By style