Helen (Helene) Johnson (1906 – 1995) was an African-American poet during the Harlem Renaissance. She is remembered today for her poetry that captures both the challenges and the excitement of this era during her short-lived career.
― Anonymous User 11/7/2024
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I adore this name! If I ever have a daughter, I would want to name her Helen Elizabeth.
That’s my name. I hated it but I call myself Helena, it sounds better to me. Reminds me of supermodel Helena Christensen, who is stunning! Hell was always my nickname in school it made me mad lol.
― Anonymous User 7/9/2024
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I love this name, it sounds very mature and womanly instead of girly like most names today do. It’s due for a comeback!
This is my middle name, and I think it goes well with my first name. It is sensible and feminine, but not over the top. I got it from a relative, which makes it special to me. Overall, I'm satisfied with my middle name.
Helen Keller aka American Author whom advocated for the blind and for women's suffrage and more importantly cofounded the American Civil Liberties Union... biblical name which means LIGHT...
This is my best friend's name so personally I love it! I know it’s a bit old but my friend Helen is really into history and old names so it really fits her well! I will always love it for that reason, and I just like the name in general!
No offense to any Helen’s out there but I don’t like it at all. It’s very outdated and reminds me of an old woman. The word hell is in it too and that’s just very off putting. Also, all the Helen’s I’ve met haven’t been very nice.
― Anonymous User 4/23/2023
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Helen Milroy, AM, is a consultant psychiatrist with the Western Australia Department of Health, specialising in child and adolescent psychiatry, and director of the Western Australian Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health. She is recognised as the first Indigenous Australian to become a medical doctor. She is also a storyteller who has written three books for children. She traces her ancestral lineage to the Palyku people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia. In 2018, Milroy was appointed as the first Indigenous commissioner to the Australian Football League.
Helen Richardson Khan (born as Helen Richardson), known mononymously as Helen, is an Indian actress and dancer of Anglo-Indian and Burmese descent. She has appeared in over 1000 films, making her a prolific performer in Hindi cinema. She is known for her supporting, character roles and guest appearances in a career spanning seventy years.
This is my real name. I do not think it suits me at all. I absolutely hate being called it. I go by Lene now. Pronounced like Lenny. If you have this name I’m sure it’s cuter on you. (:
I personally think this name is so pretty, since I was a little girl I’ve loved this name so much! I think either “Helen” or “Hellen” are both nice spellings.
This is the name I was assigned to at birth. I do not like it, it does not fit me at all. However if this is your name that's awesome. The meaning is also the most beautiful woman in Greece.
Helen Bierce, simply known as Bierce, is one of the characters in the first-person horror maze game Dark Deception. She's the person who appoints the main character Doug Houser to collect the pieces of the Riddle of Heaven ring by sending him through nightmare realms. She's often seen making snarky remarks at the player, laughing when they die, giving them new powers, and bickering with the game's main antagonist Malak.
I don’t wanna hurt anyone’s feelings if you have the name Helen it can be very beautiful but…. It reminds me of the ghost Helen from that horror story. So it’s kinda spooky, at the same time it’s kinda an old lady name as this story was made in the 1800s.
I feel really bad posting that comment. Even though Helen isn't my favorite name and had bad personal experiences with ladies named Helen. I went too far.
Sorry to say, but when seeing this name I always associate it with Helen Keller or the only friend Jane Eyre made in her childhood. It is a little aged in my heart.
I love Helen! Not quite as much as Helena, but I still do love it a lot, like I do most Helen-related names. One advantage it definitely has over Helena is that the pronunciation is less of an issue in the Anglophone world, while, just like Helena, it's also easily recognizable and not confusing in many other countries. It is a bit less feminine and a bit more boring in my opinion, but not sufficiently that I'd like it significantly less. It also has more of an old-lady name feel to it than Helena does in my opinion, but, for me, it's not associated with older people to such a degree that I wouldn't be able to imagine it on a younger person, especially that I've come across a lot of younger Helens in their 30s and 40s. As a blind person, the Helen Keller association is a definitely positive thing for me. The nicknames are lovely, I love Nellie, Ellie, Hellie. I see where people are coming from with the melon and hell associations but I'm surprised that they are offputting to so many people and play such a huge role in someone's opinion of the name. Melon is definitely not something I think about when thinking of the name Helen (it's possible that it's because my native language is Polish and pronounced the Polish way it doesn't sound quite as similarly as in English), and hell is not my first thought when I think of it either. Perhaps when it's actually spelt Hellen it feels more prominent, but still, I feel like there are so many more pleasant associations with this name one can have. Oh and Helen of Troy is a great namesake as well.
Helen Dawes is a member of Norwegian rock band Pikekyss.
― Anonymous User 3/13/2021
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The standard Polish form of this name is Helena, however Helen also is used occasionally. Last year (2020) 4 baby girls were given this name, and none got it as a middle name. There also were 242 women with this name in the whole Polish population, and exactly as many had it as their middle name. A Polish Helen could celebrate her name day on one of the days when it's Helena's name day, or possibly Elena's, Eleonora's etc. And use the same nicknames as Helena.
― Anonymous User 3/13/2021
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Pretty, but I think Elena or Helena might be better in a modern environment.
My name... I quite like it... to the person who thinks it’s for a 90-100 year woman, there are lots of Helen’s my age in the UK and I am in my 30s - not a particularly nice thing to say though. The Irish for Helen is Eibhilin (I know I’m missing my fadas) or, for the anglicised spelling, Eileen.
This is my name. I was named after my late great-grandmother who lived by Niagara Falls. Growing up in California I've met quite a few people named Helen. Obviously most are older, but I've met a few girls my age with it too. Notably, there is another Helen in my graduating HS class of 2021. Helen is a versatile name. It could be used for a princess, like Grace Kelly, or an astronaut the likes of Sally Ride. However, while it could fit many girls, I would say that the name is very feminine and carries a certain air of gravity/weight. It is strong, blunt, and austere/serious before elegant or light, and while I've grown into it and it fits me, it may not be the best choice for another girl. The meaning is beautiful. I had these Greek myth books in preschool and we learned about the Greek and Roman empires for most of 3rd and 4th grade. Helen of Troy is a nice namesake and I loved the association. When I was older I looked up my name and also loved the bright and warm quality that came with the meaning of 'torch' and 'fire'. Some other things: A childhood friend of mine used to call me Helen-melon-watermelon and my mother used to call me Helen-melon. It's a sweet and cutesy nickname that that was endearing... but it definitely could be used against a chubbier child. I also never got 'Helen-Keller' or 'Hell' despite my less than stellar personality as a kid (but this may be due to being very privileged and having well-respected parents). All and all, Helen is a good name that ages well and isn't that dated. But you should consider whether it suits your family's vibe and perhaps your child's future personality.
― Anonymous User 12/26/2020
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I think of a 90-100 year old woman! Not appealing!
― Anonymous User 12/9/2020
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Not bad, but way too associated with Helen Keller. I prefer Helena.
I'm Chinese and my first English teacher named me Helen when I was in kindergarten. As a green hand at that time,"Helen" was so mysterious to me and I was a little proud of it even though I didn't know the meaning behind it. As time went by, I gradually understood the name and have used it for almost 12 years. It has been a part of me.
Hi, my name is Helen. Most people don't like my name because it's out of date. When I meet someone new the first thing they say to me is "hey are you blind & deaf" or "did your parents not love you enough to give you a proper name?". People like to give me nicknames like Hell, Helena, Helen Keller, and Satan (because my name starts with Hell.) I used to hate my name but now I like having a name that not that many people have because it gives you character and I'm glad my dad got to pick my name because my mom wanted to name me Lakoda Rayne- it's a nice name but it just wouldn't suit my personality. My dad named me Helen because that was his Aunt's name and she raised him because his mother was never around. And I'm proud that I was named Helen.:)
My name is Helen. I never knew it was old fashioned. I do get mockery about the first syllable. There’s this kid in my year who starts every question she asks me with “What/How/Why the hell... en”. I hate that someone associates my name with Hell. But the person who mocks me has a WAY worse name.
― Anonymous User 2/19/2020
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I think Helen is a pretty name, but personally I prefer Elena.
Growing up in the 21st century with this name has been tough, I’m not gonna lie. I’m not fond of my own name. I mean kids would call me old lady or even worse, Hell. I really tried for this name to grow on me but I believe it should be left back in the 1900s. Helen is a BEAUTIFUL name but it’s just not for me.
A dowdy, old lady name. It's good that this name is unpopular, and hopefully it will stay that way.
― Anonymous User 10/9/2018
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In 2018, 85 is the most common age for an American (U.S.) Helen who is registered female with the Social Security Administration. It is the 105th most common female first name for living U.S. citizens.
― Anonymous User 10/5/2018
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Dame Helen Mirren (b.1945) is a British actress, she has won 26 awards as of 2018, since the beginning of her career in 1966. She is most known for portraying Queen Elizabeth II in the 2006 film "The Queen" and also for her role as Mrs Wilson in "Gosford Park".
I don't like the name because it sounds like hell, melon, alien, and holen /ho-len/ (a Filipino word for marbles, the children's toys). I also find it plain and old-fashioned nowadays. It lacks charm and "oomph", thus unappealing for me.
― Anonymous User 3/15/2017
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My name is Helen and I love it. Dad wanted to call me Melody! I'm sure glad Mum won that argument. Mum did not like shortened names, so I have always been called Helen by the family. I have been called all types of endearing nicknames. Helly is the most common one. Hel, Hels, Helly Welly, Hells Bells, are a few more. Not so keen on Hells Bells though. I'm also called Melon (by one sibling in particular), because I love watermelon and it's stuck with me since I was a child. My birthday is the same as one of the feast days. I've only just become aware of that. Also one of my nieces is called Elly. I also had an Aunty called Helen in Wales, who named one of her daughters Eleanor. I hadn't come across Neleh until I read the comments here. I really like it too. It has an Aussie tang to it. Suits me :-)
Helen of Greece and Denmark was the ex-wife of Carol II of Romania and Queen Mother of Romania. She was named Righteous Among the Nations for helping Jews during World War 2.
I'm not the hugest fan of Helen, but it is my daughter's middle name. She's named after my husband's Great-Aunt. I prefer Helena over Helen personally.
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest Mt. St. Helen's is a gem of the region! I was not alive when the mountain blew, but I grew up with it in site my whole childhood. It is special to me and that's a big reason why I love the name Helen. It's also old fashioned and pretty and ages well. Nicknames could be Elle, Ellie. Cons: Has the word hell in it, rhymes with melon.
Helen is not a particularly beautiful name, but, for some reason it seems special to me. People like Helen Keller and Helen Steiner Rice make it seem like a name for a girl that is deep and creative.
Helen is a beautiful, practical, sophisticated name. It's classy and stunning. (:
― Anonymous User 11/22/2014
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This is one of my favourite female names. It feels very different to 'Ellen', and I like it a lot better. It was the name of a girl I liked. It doesn't feel dated to me, as she is about thirty now and she is the most memorable Helen I've known.
My adorable 3 year old niece is named Helen, she goes by Nellie. I absolutely adore the name and I think Nellie is such a sweet nickname. I admit I wasn't a big fan of the name until my sister told me she was considering it for her daughter, and I fell in love with it. It's very unfortunately underused nowadays, and I'm not sure why. I guess most parents are picking 'modern' names for their kids. I bet a hundred years ago no one would've ever thought that a girl named Helen would stick out from all her classmates!
Every time I hear this name, I think of Rose Byrne's character in Bridesmaids. It's a good association though, she's really pretty :) that could be part of the reason why I like the name Helen now, as it helped me associate it with younger generations rather than elderly women. Now I always think of pretty young women when I hear this name.
― Anonymous User 7/25/2013
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Actor Robert Deniro has a daughter named Helen Grace, born in 2011.
― Anonymous User 7/1/2013
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Helen has hell in it so I would NEVER pick it. I hate the name anyways, its dated and blah.
― Anonymous User 2/27/2013
-5
I knew a little girl named Helen, and although it's not my favorite name, I was sooo relieved to see that at least some people have sense and class when naming their children! A girl named Helen will be taken much more seriously and probably more respected than a forty year old woman named Madison or kaylee, which is going to be absolutely hilarious and pathetic in about thirty years when the world is filled with them :/
― Anonymous User 2/20/2013
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Helen Lovejoy is Reverend Lovejoy's gossipy wife on The Simpsons.
Helen is an awesome name since it is my name. It's meaning is shining light or sun ray or torch or shining one. I don't know which meaning is right though!
Since I am a Helen I love it! I was named after my Grandmother (as well as my middle name) and I always loved that I was the only one my age named Helen. So I never had to add the first letter of my last name or go by my last name as a kid.
I can't think of a female name most recognizably Greek in the modern world than this. We have all heard of the famed Helen of Troy, possessing beauty that can start wars. I am curious as to know why the word "Hellenic" is synonymous with Greek culture. If this name symbolizes the moon or torches, what significance does these items have for the Greeks? Did ancient Greeks believe they were the "light" of the world with the knowledge they gained?
I don't see how anyone can not like this name. It's practically perfect in every way: simple, pretty, goes well with a lot of other names, overall just beautiful.
There was a character in the syndicated show "Cleopatra 2525" who was named Helen but nicknamed Hel. As a bit of a mythology nerd, I think both "Helen" as a name and "Hel" as a nickname are very cool!
A famous bearer of this name is American classical violinist Helen Armstrong (March 16, 1943 – April 28, 2006). Besides her classical music profession, she was the founder and artistic director of Armstrong Chamber Concerts.
According to another Greek myth Leda was not her mother, but the goddess Nemesis. Helen means 'torch' or 'the shining one'. The name is of the same origin as Helios (sun) and Selene (moon).
My name happens to be Helen. I LOVE IT! One of my nicknames happens to be Melon. Great name, great nickname. Also, I have never met anyone near my age with my name. The end.
― Anonymous User 1/27/2009
1
The first use of the name Helen was the male Greek, who was son of Deucalion (Zeus). Hellas or Greece is named after him, this can be found in the beginning of Thucydides `History of the Peloponesian War` p36. Further than this apparently the Greek `hel` may mean to capture, like the slaves the Helots and also possibly the `capture` of Helen of Troy.
"Is this the face that launched a thousand ships and set afire the topless towers of Illium?" Helen of Troy was actually a Greek. She was not kidnapped by Paris, but went with him willingly. Her birth was bizarre: Zeus came to Leda in the form of a Swan, and Leda later laid two eggs. Each contained twins, and each egg held one child of her husband and one of the god, Zeus. Castor and Pollux were the boys hatched from one egg (one mortal, one demigod), and Helen and Clytemnestra (the mortal sister) were the girls hatched from the other. Helen and her sister married brothers--both Greek kings. Menelaus was Helen's husband, and Clytemnestra was married to Agamemnon. Both sisters have interesting stories that are far too long for this comment, but at least Helen has the more attractive name for modern usage. Helen of Troy was not the most honorable woman, but so many women in history and literature since have given this name a lot of power.(My middle name is Ellen. Same thing, really.)
I love the name Helen. It's my beautiful baby girl's name. I have always found the story of Helen of Troy fascinating and I really like literary names for girls.
It's not such a bad name per se, but it sounds like the name of a middle-aged woman nowadays. Quite frankly, I don't think I want it to become popular again, as reading the wrong blogs has introduced me to the nauseating views of life of a certain Dr. Helen. Anyway, it's quite a dull name, even if one that sounds relatively sane, if you get my drift.
The only thing I don't like about my name is that people keep calling me Helen Keller or ask me if I'm gellin' and then act like it's the most unique comment in the world. I've only heard it ten billion times! Also, many people spell it with 2 l's, and sometimes think I'm saying "Ellen" when I introduce myself. Still, I'm glad it's my name.
Helen Dallimore is an actress and singer who has just finished her stint in the musical Wicked on the West End.
― Anonymous User 9/5/2007
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My daughter's name is Helen. I wanted something simple that wouldn't get shortened. It does get shortened even by me. I named her after Helen of Troy from my studies in Classical Studies. I genuinely like the name and it suits her!
Helen Fielding; author of crazily popular "Bridget Jones' Diary" and "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason". Both of these have been made into movies starring Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth and (gags) Hugh Grant.
I used to not really like the name Helen because I felt as if too many middle-aged and older women were named it. But recently I have rather taken a great liking to it and I now think it is very beautiful. I still prefer Helena over Helen, but I think that Helen is a good, strong name to have.
― Anonymous User 3/24/2007
1
I think Helen is a cool name and those of you with problems with people named Helen have no right to be rude to everyone named Helen! So you can comment your own name.
My best friend in the whole world's name is Helen. I really like this name. It's not overused, and it's got a sophisticated sound to it. Like Neleh (who is the Helen I know) said, there are so many nicknames for Helen.
The only Helens I know of I don't like much so this has turned me off this name totally.
― Anonymous User 11/1/2006
1
Whenever I think of the name Helen, I think of my mother's secretary from when I was a child. She was a sour woman, so maybe that's why I don't like the name much.
― Anonymous User 10/7/2006
0
I personally think Helen is a beautiful, elegant, and feminine name - not to mention classic. It's definitely something I'd consider naming my child, if I ever have one. Also, Helen Keller ROCKS.
Helen is the first friend of Jane in the novel by Charlotte Bronte, 'Jane Eyre'. Helen is an intelligent, but 'slattern' girl that took her discipline with strength.
My name is Helen and I think it totally ROCKS! If your name is Helen but you don't want to go by that, there's always Ella, Ellen, and Neleh (which is Helen backwards). ROCK ON HELENS OF THE WORLD!
― Anonymous User 6/20/2006
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My name is Lenuta, a Romanian derivate from Helen and I think that this name is the most beautiful name in the world. Let's remember Helen of Troy, the woman who made a war possible. :)
And how could anyone forget Helen of Troy, "the face that launched a thousand ships"? The most beautiful woman in the world! Maybe the name does not mean beautiful, but it can be taken to be.