Given name
Helene
“the shining light”
In Danish use, Helene has a related form in Ellen. In English use, Ellen carries the interpretation “the shining light.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Danish use, Helene has a related form in Ellen. In English use, Ellen carries the interpretation “the shining light.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Helene is a variant of Helen. A possible origin is Greek, although the derivation remains uncertain.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Swedish usage, Helene developed from the French form Hélène.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Helene is a variant of Helen. The history of Helen gives this family its wider story. Helen’s historical associations include the mother of the Emperor Constantine.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Helene through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 33,334
- 0 boys · 33,334 girls
- Most popular year
- 1918
- 728 babies
- 2025
- 42
- #3,602 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +11%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 42 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 3,602 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 10.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 728 in 1918. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (5). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 19,118 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Helene’s family of names
In German usage, Helene has a diminutive in Leni. In Norwegian usage, Helene shares a linguistic root with the English form Helen. In German usage, Helene has a conventional equivalent in the English form Elaine.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Helene has relatives in 28 languages.
33 related names in 28 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 10
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Elenavariant · German, Italian
- Helenavariant · Norwegian, German
- Helenvariant · English
- Ellenvariant · Norwegian, Danish
- Lenidiminutive · German
- Elinvariant · Norwegian, Danish
- Ilonavariant · German, Hungarian
- Elinevariant · Norwegian Nynorsk, Norwegian
Show 2 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 42
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- EllaGerman
- Lenaequivalent
- Elainedoublet · English
- Alenaequivalent
- Elinaalso known as · Swedish, Danish
- Eleniequivalent
- Leenaequivalent
- HellenEnglish, Danish
Show 34 moreShow fewer
- Jelenadoublet · German, Croatian
- Olenaequivalent
- EllinaFinnish
- HelinaFinnish
- EleneDanish
- ElenWelsh, Norwegian
- Leneequivalent
- Lenkaequivalent
- Alenkaequivalent
- Jelaequivalent
- HeleenDutch
- HeleenaFinnish
- Lenkeequivalent
- Aeleneequivalent
- Helkaequivalent
- Єленаequivalent
- Геленаequivalent
- Hélèneroot · French, Luxembourgish
- Heleenederivative · Estonian
- Helénaequivalent
- Jeļenaequivalent
- Lenuțaequivalent
- Lénaequivalent
- Ἑλένηroot · Ancient Greek
- ОленаUkrainian
- ЈеленаSerbian
- ЕленаRussian, Bulgarian
- HelineNorwegian
- ElínIcelandic
- ΕλένηGreek
- HellinFinnish
- HelleenaFinnish
- HelinäFinnish
- ElliinaFinnish
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Helene
- Helene FischerGerman singerborn 1984
- Helene Schjerfbeckswedish-speaking painter of Finland (1862-1946)
- Helene WeigelGerman actress and artistic director (1900–1971)
- Princess Helen of Waldeck and PyrmontGerman princess (1861-1922)
- Helene MadisonAmerican swimmer1913–1970
- Helene MayerGerman fencer (1910–1953)
- Helene CostelloAmerican actress (1906–1957)
- Helene EngelmannAustrian skater (1898–1985)
- Helene StöckerGerman feminist, pacifist and gender activist (1869–1943)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Helene, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Henrietta
“ruler of the house” · “home”
>99% girls
Alene
>99% girls
Elinore
“shining light”
>99% girls
Elenora
“shining light”
>99% girls
Harriet
“ruler of the house” · “home”
>99% girls
Queenie
“a woman sovereign”
>99% girls
Elinor
“shining light”
>99% girls
Elmira
“a princess; daughter born to royalty”
>99% girls