Hellen first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Hellen has been for the last 50 years (from 1975 to 2024) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Hellen

Feminine name of Greek origin meaning "bright" or "shining one".

Popularity of Hellen by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Hellen is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2024, there were 126 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Hellen.

YearMale CountFemale Count
20240126
20230142
2022088
2021075
2020082
2019091
2018077
2017079
2016091
2015080
2014051
2013069
2012077
2011058
2010049
2009063
2008065
2007080
2006065
2005047
2004041
2003038
2002025
2001024
2000036
1999027
1998024
1997033
1996021
1995023
1994027
1993023
1992023
1991012
1990018
1989019
1988019
1987022
1986015
1985013
1984016
1983023
1982017
1981018
1980020
197909
1978023
197708
1976015
1975025

The history of the first name Hellen

The name Hellen has its origins in the Greek language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Greek word "Helene," which means "bright" or "shining one." The name was popular in ancient Greece and was associated with beauty and radiance.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Hellen can be found in Greek mythology. Helen of Troy, also known as Helen of Sparta, was a legendary figure whose extraordinary beauty was said to have caused the Trojan War. According to the Iliad, an epic poem attributed to Homer, Helen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, and her abduction by Paris of Troy sparked a decade-long conflict between the Greeks and Trojans.

In the 4th century BCE, Hellen was the name of a philosopher and mathematician from Cyzicus, a city in ancient Greece. She is credited with being one of the first female mathematicians and is known for her work on the Delian problem, which involved doubling the volume of a cube using only a straight edge and compass.

During the Renaissance period, Hellen was the name of a prominent Italian painter and poet. Hellen Sirani (1638-1665) was a celebrated artist from Bologna, known for her religious paintings and portraits. She was one of the first women to be admitted to the Accademia di San Luca, a prestigious art academy in Rome.

In the 19th century, Hellen Keller (1880-1968) was an American author, political activist, and lecturer who was the first deaf-blind person to earn a bachelor's degree. Despite her disabilities, she became a renowned advocate for people with disabilities and a champion of social justice.

Another notable figure with the name Hellen was Hellen Wills Moody (1905-1998), an American tennis player who won numerous Grand Slam titles in the 1920s and 1930s. She was a dominant force in women's tennis and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1959.

These are just a few examples of the rich history and notable individuals associated with the name Hellen. While the name has its roots in ancient Greece, it has transcended time and cultures, leaving an indelible mark on various fields throughout history.

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 Hellen was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Hellen, 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!

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.

Search
Search
Background shape