Heliana
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "sun ray" or "sunlight".
Name Census estimates that about 53 living Americans carry the first name Heliana. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Heliana today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Heliana births was 2012 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Heliana. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Heliana. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
53
~ 1 in 6,467,063 Americans
Peak year
2012
13 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2018 SSA rank
#12,964
Tracked since 2008
Popularity
Heliana: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Heliana from the 2000s through to the 2010s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 41 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Heliana 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 Heliana 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 Heliana
The name Heliana is a feminine given name with origins dating back to ancient Greece. It is derived from the Greek word "helios," meaning "sun." The name was likely created as a reference to the sun, possibly to signify beauty, warmth, or radiance.
In ancient Greek mythology, Helios was the personification of the sun, a powerful and revered figure. The name Heliana may have been bestowed upon daughters as a nod to this significant mythological figure or as a way to honor the life-giving power of the sun.
The earliest recorded use of the name Heliana can be traced back to the 5th century BCE. It was mentioned in various ancient Greek texts and inscriptions, although it was not a widely popular name during that time period.
Throughout history, a handful of notable individuals have borne the name Heliana. One of the earliest recorded was Heliana of Gaul, a Christian martyr who lived in the 3rd century CE. She was executed for her religious beliefs during the persecution of Christians under the Roman Empire.
In the 6th century, there was Heliana of Thessalonica, a Byzantine noblewoman and landowner. She was known for her philanthropic efforts and for establishing several churches and monasteries in the region of Thessalonica, which is now part of modern-day Greece.
During the Middle Ages, Heliana of Villeneuve was a French noblewoman and crusader who participated in the Fourth Crusade in the early 13th century. She was among the few women who joined the crusade and is mentioned in several contemporary chronicles.
In the 16th century, Heliana Guzman was a Spanish mystic and author. She wrote several religious treatises and was known for her visions and alleged miraculous experiences. Her writings were controversial but gained her a following during her lifetime.
More recently, in the 19th century, Heliana Mariam was an Italian opera singer and composer. She gained recognition for her performances in various opera houses across Europe and composed several works that were well-received by audiences and critics of the time.
While the name Heliana may not have been widely popular throughout history, its roots in ancient Greek culture and mythology, as well as its association with the powerful symbolism of the sun, have contributed to its enduring presence and use over the centuries.
People
Heliana + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Heliana 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
Heliana: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Heliana?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 53 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Heliana 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 6,467,063 US residents.
Is Heliana a common name?
We classify Heliana as "Very Rare". It ranks above 55.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 53 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Heliana most popular?
The single biggest year for Heliana was 2012, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Heliana is about 13 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Heliana a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Heliana 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.