Helen
Meaning: Its source is Helene, a Greek name meaning "Sun ray."
Languages: This girl's name is used in Dutch and English.
Compound Forms: Laurelen
Alternative Spellings: Helenh
Non-English Forms: Alyna, Elena, Eleni, Eleonora, Elna, Ilona, Olena, Eilidh, Heleen, Jelica, Halyna, Halya and Helle
Popularity: The name Helen ranked 350th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 15th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.
This name is highly rated in the 1990 U.S. Census popularity survey of all ages, but after 1960 does not appear in the state data listing the most popular baby names.
Narrative: This name might refer to a Greek person, a ''Hellene.''
The sources of its popularity balance between a saint and a sinner.
On one hand, there is St. Helena, mother to Constantine the Great, whose purity allowed her to discover the True Cross. On the opposite hand, there is the notorious Helen of Troy, whose adulterous flight in the arms of the Trojan prince Paris ''launched a thousand ships'' (in the words of Christopher Marlowe) and started the bloody Trojan War.
The image of the latter Helen's bewitching beauty has lasted through the ages. In a film version of Marlowe's 16th-century play Faustus, the devil offers Helen (portrayed by Elizabeth Taylor) to the title character in exchange for his soul. Faustus swiftly agrees to the bargain.
Arts and Music
- Helen Cornelius
- Winner of the 1977 Country Music Association Vocal Duo of the Year award, with Jim Ed Brown (see list of Country Music Association Award Winners)
- Helen Frankenthaler (born 1928)
American Abstract Expressionist painter.
- Painted Mountains and Sea (see list of 20th-century Contemporary Artists)
- Helen Hokinson (born 1900, died 1949)
American cartoonist.
- Satirized clubwomen (see list of Cartoonists)
- Helen Lundeberg (born 1908)
American painter.
- Painted Tree Shadows (see list of 20th-century Contemporary Artists)
- Helen Reddy (born 1942)
Australian singer and songwriter.
- 1972 Grammy winner for best female vocal performance, for ''''I Am Woman'''' (see list of Grammy winners for Best Vocal Performance)
- Helen M. Turner (born 1858, died 1958)
American painter.
- Painted Morning News (see list of Impressionist Artists)
Leadership
- Helen Delich Bentley (born 1923)
American politician.
- Representative, R-Maryland, 1985-1995 (see list of Women in the House of Representatives)
- Helen Caldicott
Australian physician and activist.
- dvocate for nuclear disarmament; founder of Physicians for Social Responsibility and (see list of Noted Social Reformers and Educators)
- Helen Chenoweth-Hage (born 1938)
American politician.
- Representative, R-Idaho, 1995-2001 (see list of Women in the House of Representatives)
- Helen Gahagan Douglas (born 1900, died 1980)
American singer and politician. Wife of Melvyn Douglas.
- Representative, D-California, 1945-51 (see list of Women in the House of Representatives)
- Helen A. Keller (born 1880, died 1968)
American author and lecturer. Left blind and deaf by an illness at the age of 19 months.
- She altered our perception of the disabled (see list of Twenty people who articulate the longings of the last 100 years, exemplifying courage, selflessness, exuberance, superhuman ability and amazing grace)
- Crusaded for the education of the handicapped (see list of Noted Social Reformers and Educators)
- Helen Lecapena
- Ruler of the Byzantine Empire in the 10th century (see list of Miscellaneous Political Leaders)
- Helen Douglas Mankin (born 1896, died 1956)
American politician.
- Representative, D-Georgia, 1946-47 (see list of Women in the House of Representatives)
- Helen Stevenson Meyner (born 1929, died 1997)
American politician.
- Representative, D-New Jersey, 1975-79 (see list of Women in the House of Representatives)
Miscellaneous
- Helen Cacheris
- 1952 Mademoiselle Award winner (see list of Mademoiselle Award Winners)
- Helen Hayes (born 1900, died 1993)
American actress.
- 1986 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- Member of National Women''s Hall of Fame (see list of National Women's Hall of Fame Members)
- Helen Hunt (born 1963)
American actress.
- 1998 gross earnings: $31 million (see list of Top-paid Stars)
- Helen Hunt (born 1949)
American philanthropist.
- Member of National Women''s Hall of Fame (see list of National Women's Hall of Fame Members)
- Helen Imrie
- 1951 Mademoiselle Award winner (see list of Mademoiselle Award Winners)
- Helen A. Keller (born 1880, died 1968)
American author and lecturer. Left blind and deaf by an illness at the age of 19 months.
- Member of National Women''s Hall of Fame (see list of National Women's Hall of Fame Members)
- 1964 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- Helen Jean Rogers
- 1960 Mademoiselle Award winner (see list of Mademoiselle Award Winners)
- Helen Shaver (born 1951)
Canadian actress.
- Born in St. Thomas, Ontario (see list of Famous Canadians)
- Helen Stephens (born 1918, died 1993)
American track and field athlete.
- Member of National Women''s Hall of Fame (see list of National Women's Hall of Fame Members)
- Helen Herron Taft (born 1861, died 1943)
- Wife of William Howard Taft, 27th President (see list of United States First Ladies)
- Helen Brooke Taussig (born 1898, died 1986)
American physician who pioneered pediatric cardiology.
- 1964 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- Member of National Women''s Hall of Fame (see list of National Women's Hall of Fame Members)
- Helen of Troy
In ancient Greek legend, a semi-diety reputed to be the most beautiful woman in the world. Her abduction by Paris from her Greek husband Menelaus caused the Trojan War.
- Daughter of Zeus and Leda (see list of Names from Greek Mythology)
Science and Philosophy
- Helen M. Dyer
American chemist.
- 1962 winner of the American Chemical Society''s Garvan Medal (see list of Chemists)
- Helen Sawyer Hogg
Canadian astronomer and educator after whom asteroid 2917 is named.
- Wrote The Stars Belong to Everyone (see list of Mathematicians, Physicists & Astronomers)
- Helen Sharman
- On Soyuz TM-12 (1991) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
Sports
- Helen Baetz
- Member of the Women''s International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of Women's International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Helen Baker
- Member of the Women''s International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of Women's International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Helen Duval
- Member of the Women''s International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of Women's International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Helen Hellwig
- 1894 U.S. Open tennis champion (see list of U.S. Open Tennis Champions)
- Helen Homans
- 1906 U.S. Open tennis champion (see list of U.S. Open Tennis Champions)
- Helen Jacobs (died 1997)
American tennis player.
- 1932-35 U.S. Open tennis champion (see list of U.S. Open Tennis Champions)
- 1936 Wimbledon tennis champion (see list of Wimbledon Tennis Champions)
- 1933 Associated Press Athlete of the Year (see list of Associated Press Athletes of the Year)
- Helen Meany
American athlete.
- 1928 Olympic gold medal winner for Springboard Diving (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Springboard Diving)
- Helen Wills Moody (born 1905, died 1998)
American tennis player.
- 1923-25, 1927-29, 1931 U.S. Open tennis champion (see list of U.S. Open Tennis Champions)
- 1927-1930, 1932-33, 1935, 1938 Wimbledon tennis champion (see list of Wimbledon Tennis Champions)
- 1928-1930, 1932 French Open tennis champion (see list of French Open Tennis Champions)
- 1935 Associated Press Athlete of the Year (see list of Associated Press Athletes of the Year)
- Helen Shablis
- Member of the Women''s International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of Women's International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Helen Stephens (born 1918, died 1993)
American track and field athlete.
- 1936 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for 100m (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in the 100 Meter Sprint)
- 1936 Associated Press Athlete of the Year (see list of Associated Press Athletes of the Year)
Stage and Screen
- Helen Crump
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Aneta Corsaut (see list of Characters on ''The Andy Griffith Show'')
- Helen Gahagan Douglas (born 1900, died 1980)
American singer and politician. Wife of Melvyn Douglas.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Helen Ferguson
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Helen Gallagher (born 1926)
American actress.
- 1971 Tony Award winner for her performance in No, No, Nannette (see list of Tony Winners for Best Actress in a Musical)
- Helen Gray
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Jeanine Jackson (see list of Characters in the film Zelig)
- Helen Hayes (born 1900, died 1993)
American actress.
- Two-time Tony Award winner for Best Actress in a Play: 1947, for Happy Birthday; 1958, for Time Remembered (see list of Tony Winners for Best Actress in a Play)
- 1932 Academy Award winner for her performance in The Sin of Madelon Claudet (see list of Oscar Winners for Best Actress)
- 1970 Academy Award winner for her performance in Airport (see list of Oscar Winners for Best Supporting Actress)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- 1981 Kennedy Center Honors recipient (see list of Kennedy Center Honors Recipients)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio (see list of Radio Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Helen
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Holland Taylor (see list of Characters in the film Alice)
- Helen Hunt (born 1963)
American actress.
- 1997 Academy Award winner for her performance in As Good as It Gets (see list of Oscar Winners for Best Actress)
- Helen Kimble
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Diane Brewster (see list of Characters on ''The Fugitive'')
- Helen Kleeb
- Portrayed Mamie Baldwin (see list of Actors on ''The Waltons'')
- Helen Lacey
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Heather MacRae (see list of Characters in the film Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask)
- Helen Makc
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Helen Mirren (born 1945)
English actress.
- Winner of the 1984 and 1995 Cannes Film Festival Best Actress awards, for Cal and The Madness of King George (see list of Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Winners)
- Helen Moss
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Melanie Norris (see list of Characters in the film Manhattan Murder Mystery)
- Helen Parrish
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Helen Seinfeld
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Liz Sheridan (see list of Characters on ''Seinfeld'')
- Helen Sinclair
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Dianne Wiest (see list of Characters in the film Bullets Over Broadway)
- Helen Traubel (born 1899, died 1972)
American opera singer who was forced to resign from the Met in 1953 due to disapproval of her nightclub performances.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording (see list of Recording Personalites with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Helen Twelvetrees
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Helen Vinson
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Helen Wagner
- Actress on soap opera ''''As the World Turns'''' (see list of Performers on ''As The World Turns'')
The Literary World
- Helen Deepneau
Fictional character.
- Ed''s wife in Stephen King''s novel Insomnia (see list of Characters in Insomnia)
- Helen
- Servant to Imogen in Cymbeline (see list of Shakespearean Characters)
- Helen of Troy
In ancient Greek legend, a semi-diety reputed to be the most beautiful woman in the world. Her abduction by Paris from her Greek husband Menelaus caused the Trojan War.
- Portrayed as a pleasure-loving sensualist in Troilus and Cressida (see list of Shakespearean Characters)
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Teasing Nicknames:
- Smell
- Helen of Troy
- Helen Keller
- Hell
- Smellen
- Nell
- Helen Watermelon
- Like Hell on Wheels
- Honey
- Mt. St. Helens
- Helsinki
- Hell and back
- Hello
