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I'm not fond of it, sorry. It just doesn't seem actively pretty to me. I do love Helena, pronounced either as HEL-en-uh or heh-LAY-nuh, depending on the combination and surname.

I like Helena really very much, and would probably also consider Jelena. Helen is a bit too plain for me, and so is Ellen. Elena is OK, and I like Eleni, too.

I like Eleanor better than Helen. For some reason I've never liked Helen, I think it's the way it looks. However, lately I've been thinking it's just okay.

Helen's my name (I only go by Helena here) so my opinions are bias :) As a child I was neutral towards it, but it does mature well... and I quite like it now. It has a nice meaning, and connotations, and doesn't rhyme with anything embarrassing.
I've always liked the nickname Nell, but no one seems to call me that. So I guess a shortage of nicknames could be the only minus - or a plus, depending on which you prefer.

I love the name Helen. It was my great-grandmother's middle name (Beatrice Helen).

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I love the simplicity and elegance of the name. I also like Helena and Elena, Ellen is growing on me more.

I like Elaine best of the Helen names; also Nora and Ileana.
Helen's a bit pale bland for my taste, but I don't think it ever goes too far out of style, and is 'just right' in that it seems to connote both beauty and strength, sounds capable, ages well, is historical but not antiquated, and is easy to say & spell / familiar enough for anyone, even if their English isn't great. I wouldn't mind being named Helen, except that when I was a kid and Ellen was the fashion, Helen would have sounded a bit "old" and stuffy .. not so much today.

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- chazda

My middle name is Ellen and my sister's name is Elanor, so I'm partial to those variations, but Helen would be on my favourites list if it wasn't my Aunt's name. It has a nice, soft, gracious sound to it. The only drawback is the lack of an obvious nickname (I like names which have the option of a silly-affectionate nickname - I got Kriskringle from Christine and my sister gets Ella-Nella). I suppose you could use Ellie, Nellie, Lennie or even Lelly, Hallie or Holly.

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. . . anyway, I like it! :-)