NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Helana

A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "bright" or "shining light".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2011. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Helana is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Helana popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2011 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5785, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2006, with 6 births.

This profile covers 22 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 1996 to 2011. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 50% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 22 living people in the UK are called Helana. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2012 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Helana ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales in 2011, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2006, when 6 girls were registered as Helana.
  • About 22 living people in the UK are estimated to have Helana as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5785

2011

Births in 2011

3

Latest year

Peak year

2006

6 births

Estimated living

22

2026

Meaning

What does Helana mean?

The name Helana has its origins in ancient Greek culture, deriving from the Greek word "helene," which means "bright one" or "shining light." It emerged in the Hellenic period, spanning from the 8th to the 4th century BCE. The name's roots can be traced back to the mythological figure of Helen of Troy, whose abduction by Paris was believed to have sparked the Trojan War.

In Greek mythology, Helen was renowned for her extraordinary beauty, which was said to have been bestowed upon her by the goddess Aphrodite. The Iliad, one of the oldest extant works of Western literature, composed by Homer in the 8th century BCE, chronicles the events surrounding the Trojan War and features Helen as a central character.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Helana can be found in ancient Greek texts from the 5th century BCE. Notably, Helana was the name of a Spartan princess mentioned by the Greek historian Herodotus in his work, "The Histories."

Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Helana. In the early Christian era, Saint Helena, mother of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, lived from around 250 to 330 CE. She is revered as a significant figure in the history of Christianity for her role in the construction of churches and her pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

During the Renaissance period, Helana Cornaro, born in 1476, was a Venetian noblewoman and the last Queen of Cyprus. Her reign marked the end of the Lusignan dynasty and the incorporation of Cyprus into the Republic of Venice.

In the realm of literature, Helana Modjeska, born in 1840 and died in 1909, was a renowned Polish actress and writer. She achieved international acclaim for her performances in various Shakespearean plays and is considered a pioneer of the modern theatrical movement.

More recently, Helana Rubinstein, born in 1872 and died in 1965, was a Polish-American businesswoman and cosmetics entrepreneur. She founded the company that bears her name and is credited with revolutionizing the beauty industry by introducing innovative skincare products and makeup lines.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have carried the name Helana, each leaving an indelible mark in their respective fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of this name's legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Helana over time

The chart below shows babies named Helana registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2011. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Helana, the clearest high point is 2006. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2011, compared with 6 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Helana
02356199620032011

Decades

Helana by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Helana was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2010s #5746 6 2
2000s #4621 12 3
1990s #3126 4 1

Related

Names similar to Helana

FAQ

Helana: questions and answers

How popular is the name Helana in the UK right now?

In 2011, Helana was ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Helana most popular?

The peak year on record was 2006, with 6 babies registered as Helana in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Helana?

A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "bright" or "shining light".

How many people are called Helana in the UK?

A total of 22 babies have been registered as Helana across the 6 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.