Helena
Girl name · #363 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Helena? In official American birth records, Helena has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Helena is currently the #363 girl name in the United States — 841 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #534, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,140 girls born in 2025 was named Helena.
Babies named Helena per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Helena first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 60 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 841 babies and a rank of #363. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Helena against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Helena in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Helena is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Helena is most common
Geography matters for names, and Helena is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Helena is most common in MA (2.6 per 1,000), FL (1 per 1,000), NJ (1 per 1,000), OR (1 per 1,000), VA (0.9 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.6 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Helena is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Helena
Statistically, parents drawn to Helena tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Liana, Viviana, Alanna, Alena, and Jimena.
LianaVivianaAlannaAlenaJimenaElainaSienaAleena
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Helena | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 841 | #363 |
| 2024 | 754 | #414 |
| 2023 | 678 | #456 |
| 2022 | 675 | #471 |
| 2021 | 604 | #512 |
| 2020 | 593 | #512 |
| 2019 | 658 | #474 |
| 2018 | 689 | #458 |
| 2017 | 610 | #515 |
| 2016 | 602 | #517 |
| 2015 | 583 | #534 |
| 2014 | 627 | #498 |
| 2013 | 543 | #547 |
| 2012 | 529 | #558 |
| 2011 | 491 | #587 |
| 2010 | 550 | #534 |
| 2009 | 533 | #573 |
| 2008 | 503 | #609 |
| 2007 | 584 | #536 |
| 2006 | 595 | #511 |
| 2005 | 530 | #542 |
| 2004 | 511 | #561 |
| 2003 | 541 | #521 |
| 2002 | 432 | #599 |
| 2001 | 417 | #602 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Helena?
In official American birth records, the name Helena first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 60 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Helena a popular girl name?
Helena ranked #363 among girls in 2025 with 841 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #534.
When was the name Helena most popular?
Helena peaked in 2025, when 841 American girls received the name (ranked #363 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Helena?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,140 newborn American girls was named Helena. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.