Find out how popular the first name Helga has been for the last 47 years (from 1974 to 2020) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Helga by gender

Based on the last 47 years of data, Helga is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2020, there were 5 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Helga.

The history of the first name Helga

The name Helga has its origins in Old Norse, the language spoken by the Vikings and ancient Scandinavian peoples. It is derived from the Old Norse elements "heilagr" meaning "holy" or "blessed" and "veig" meaning "strength" or "power". Together, the name Helga can be interpreted as "holy strength" or "blessed power".

This name was particularly popular among the Norse and Germanic cultures during the Middle Ages. It was widely used across Scandinavia, including in areas that are now part of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland. Some early variations of the spelling included Heilga, Helcha, and Helche.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Helga appears in the Icelandic Sagas, a collection of stories and historical accounts from the 13th and 14th centuries. In the Saga of the Greenlanders, a character named Helga Þorvaldsdóttir is mentioned as one of the first Nordic settlers in Greenland around the year 1000 CE.

In the Poetic Edda, a collection of Old Norse poetry from the 13th century, the name Helga is used to refer to a powerful and respected woman. This suggests that the name was associated with strength and reverence in ancient Norse culture.

Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Helga:

1. Helga Ingeborg (c. 1135-1164), Queen of Sweden from 1156 to 1164, known for her efforts to promote Christianity in Sweden.

2. Helga the Fair (c. 1032-1098), a Norwegian noblewoman and the mother of King Olaf III of Norway.

3. Helga Pedersen (1911-1980), a Danish writer and activist who was an influential figure in the Danish women's movement.

4. Helga Flatland (1924-2010), a Norwegian writer and poet who was awarded the Dobloug Prize for her literary contributions.

5. Helga Goering (1922-2010), the daughter of Hermann Göring, a leading member of the Nazi Party in Germany during World War II.

While the name Helga fell out of widespread use in modern times, it remains an important part of Scandinavian cultural heritage and continues to be used, particularly in Nordic countries, as a testament to its historical significance and meaning.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Helga was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Helga, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!