Hellena
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "shining light".
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the first name Hellena. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Hellena today is around 32 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hellena births was 2022 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hellena. 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
138
~ 1 in 2,483,727 Americans
Peak year
2022
13 babies that year
Average age
32
years old
2024 SSA rank
#14,056
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Hellena: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Hellena from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 35 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
Hellena 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 Hellena during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Hellenas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Hellena
The name Hellena has its origins in the ancient Greek language and culture, dating back to the classical period of Greece. It is derived from the Greek word "helene," which means "bright one" or "shining light." The name is closely associated with the mythological figure of Helen of Troy, whose abduction by Paris was said to have sparked the Trojan War.
In Greek mythology, Helen was renowned for her exceptional beauty and was considered the daughter of Zeus and Leda. Her name was often used as a symbol of beauty and grace. The name Hellena is a variant spelling of the more common "Helena," which was widely used in ancient Greece and Rome.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hellena can be found in the works of Homer, the ancient Greek epic poet who lived around the 8th century BCE. In the Iliad, Homer mentions Hellena as the name of a Trojan woman who was captured during the war.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Hellena. One of the most famous was Hellena Paulovna Blavatsky (1831-1891), a Russian occultist and philosopher who co-founded the Theosophical Society. Her writings and teachings had a significant influence on the New Age movement and esoteric spirituality.
Another notable Hellena was Hellena Mniszek (1592-1658), a Polish noblewoman who played a key role in the Polish-Muscovite War of the early 17th century. She was briefly married to the False Dimitri, a pretender to the Russian throne, and her actions contributed to the political turmoil of the Time of Troubles in Russia.
In the realm of literature, Hellena Glykytera (1924-1998) was a prominent Greek poet and writer known for her lyrical works exploring themes of love, nature, and the human condition. Her poetry collections, such as "The Breath of the Muse," gained widespread acclaim and recognition.
Hellena Ioannou (1924-2018) was a Cypriot author and activist who played a significant role in promoting Cypriot literature and culture. She was awarded the prestigious Ghuelwetian Prize for her literary contributions and efforts to preserve the island's cultural heritage.
Lastly, Hellena Christensen (born 1968) is a Danish model and actress who rose to fame in the 1990s as a Victoria's Secret Angel. She has appeared in numerous fashion campaigns and magazines and has also acted in films such as "The World Is Not Enough" and "Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars."
People
Hellena + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hellena 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
Hellena: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hellena?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 138 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hellena 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 2,483,727 US residents.
Is Hellena a common name?
We classify Hellena as "Very Rare". It ranks above 69.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 184 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hellena most popular?
The single biggest year for Hellena was 2022, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hellena is about 32 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Hellena a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hellena 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.