Heli
A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "sunray".
Name Census estimates that about 143 living Americans carry the first name Heli. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 89.7% of registrations being female. The average person named Heli today is around 17 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Heli births was 2005 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Heli. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
143
~ 1 in 2,396,883 Americans
Peak year
2005
11 babies that year
Average age
17
years old
2008 SSA rank
#13,255
Tracked since 1993
Gender
Gender distribution for Heli
Heli leans heavily female at 89.7% of total registrations, but 15 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Heli as a male name
- Ranked #13,255 in 2008
- 5 male births in 2008
- Peak: 1993 (5 births)
Heli as a female name
- Ranked #15,996 in 2020
- 5 female births in 2020
- Peak: 2005 (11 births)
Popularity
Heli: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Heli from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 68 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Heli by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Heli during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Heli
The name Heli has its origins in the Finnish language, where it is derived from the word "helina," meaning "ringing" or "tinkling." This connection suggests that the name may have initially been associated with the sound of bells or other musical instruments.
In Finnish mythology, Heli is also the name of a minor goddess associated with the sun and warmth. This divine figure was believed to bring the warmth of spring and summer after the long, cold winters of the region.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Heli can be found in the Finnish epic poem "Kalevala," which was first compiled and published in the 19th century. The poem draws upon ancient Finnish folklore and oral traditions, indicating that the name has been in use for centuries.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Heli. One example is Heli Korhonen (1926-2001), a Finnish cross-country skier who won two gold medals at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
Another prominent figure is Heli Rantanen (born 1963), a Finnish diplomat and politician who has served as the Director-General of the Finnish National Board of Antiquities and as a member of the Finnish Parliament.
In the realm of literature, Heli Laaksonen (born 1952) is a Finnish author and journalist known for her works exploring themes of identity, gender, and relationships.
Heli Tulonen (born 1980) is a Finnish actress who has appeared in numerous television series and films, including the popular crime drama "Bordertown."
Heli Vaarakyro (born 1967) is a Finnish artist and sculptor whose works have been featured in exhibitions worldwide, exploring themes of nature, mythology, and the human condition.
While the name Heli has its roots in Finnish culture and language, it has also gained popularity in other parts of the world, particularly in regions with strong Finnish communities or influences.
People
Heli + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Heli as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Heli: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Heli?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 143 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Heli going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,396,883 US residents.
Is Heli a common name?
We classify Heli as "Very Rare". It ranks above 69.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 145 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Heli most popular?
The single biggest year for Heli was 2005, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Heli is about 17 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Heli a female name?
Yes, 89.7% of people registered as Heli in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.