Baby Name Popularity Profile

Helen

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Helen.

✦ Torch; bright, shining one 🌍 Greek mythological traditional
National Rank (2025) #462
All-Time Peak Rank #2 Achieved 1900
Total U.S. Births 1,024,202 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 0.0% Boy / 100.0% Girl Female Archetype
First Recorded 1880 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1920s 36,148 births in 1918
πŸ’‘ The Helen Vibe: Considered a Perennial Favorite. A historic staple that has maintained dominant national popularity for over half a century.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Torch; bright, shining one
Language Origin Greek
Origin Type single
Derived from the Greek name HelΓ©nΔ“ (Ἑλένη), possibly from helΓ©nΔ“ (ἑλένη) meaning 'torch' or 'bright, shining one'.
Common Nicknames
Nell Nellie Ella Lena
Alternative Spellings
Helene
Pronunciation: HEL-en
Themes & Categories
mythological traditional
Etymology confidence: High

πŸ“– The Story Behind Helen

According to SSA data, Helen achieved its highest historical rank of #2 in 1900. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1918 with 36,148 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 12.9%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 146 consecutive years.

πŸ“Š Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Helen across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Stable
10-Year Shift -12.9% Decline
18801920196020002025

πŸ“ˆ Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 36,148 births in 1918
Years in Top 100 79 yrs
Years in Top 500 146 yrs
Registry Streak 146 yrs
Historical Volatility Moderately Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 11,496
1890s: 37,802
1900s: 69,428
1910s: 248,154
1920s: 290,404
1930s: 140,426
1940s: 90,742
1950s: 57,580
1960s: 29,099
1970s: 11,476
1980s: 8,413
1990s: 8,403
2000s: 8,847
2010s: 7,585
2020s: 4,347

πŸ“ Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables He-len
Letter Count 5 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 7.7% of names
Linguistic Profile: Longer than 7.7% of SSA names. Starts with H, a letter used by only 2.2% of SSA names.

πŸ› οΈ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Helen.

πŸ“ Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Pennsylvania
Top States Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Montana, North Dakota, Massachusetts
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Pennsylvania #420 102,510 1918 Insufficient historical volume
West Virginia Unranked 16,083 1924 Insufficient historical volume
Montana Unranked 4,760 1917 Insufficient historical volume
North Dakota Unranked 4,687 1917 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts #323 33,516 1918 Insufficient historical volume
South Dakota Unranked 4,337 1917 Insufficient historical volume
Rhode Island Unranked 4,540 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Connecticut Unranked 13,591 1918 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey #684 34,147 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Wyoming Unranked 1,669 1924 Insufficient historical volume
Vermont Unranked 2,127 1915 Insufficient historical volume
Iowa Unranked 16,166 1918 Insufficient historical volume
New York #456 93,572 1918 Stable
Nebraska Unranked 8,669 1917 Insufficient historical volume
Arkansas Unranked 12,434 1927 Insufficient historical volume
Kansas #299 11,935 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri #454 25,159 1920 Insufficient historical volume
Ohio #604 51,109 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Delaware Unranked 2,202 1921 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #358 52,520 1918 Insufficient historical volume
District of Columbia #80 4,726 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Oklahoma Unranked 14,234 1921 Insufficient historical volume
Kentucky #374 18,077 1924 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #682 22,949 1917 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland #260 14,401 1919 20.0% Decline
South Carolina #281 13,861 1921 Insufficient historical volume
Maine Unranked 4,197 1917 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #205 21,076 1922 +29.0% Growth
Mississippi #465 11,770 1926 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan #893 33,584 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Tennessee #368 18,832 1925 Insufficient historical volume
Hawaii Unranked 2,713 1928 Insufficient historical volume
Minnesota #408 16,246 1918 Insufficient historical volume
North Carolina #586 24,862 1924 35.7% Decline
Wisconsin Unranked 17,103 1916 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho Unranked 3,320 1918 Insufficient historical volume
New Hampshire Unranked 2,606 1920 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama #379 15,006 1927 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana #638 14,088 1924 Insufficient historical volume
New Mexico Unranked 4,050 1936 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado #439 8,143 1920 Insufficient historical volume
Georgia #391 17,853 1922 +16.0% Growth
Oregon #409 5,309 1916 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #374 8,860 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Alaska Unranked 759 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Utah #648 4,238 1921 Insufficient historical volume
Texas #484 34,368 1924 17.3% Decline
California #492 34,708 1924 36.4% Decline
Arizona #851 4,130 1930 Insufficient historical volume
Florida #448 11,054 1925 +23.5% Growth
Nevada #462 644 1920 Insufficient historical volume

πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§ Sibling Name Suggestions

πŸ‘¦ Brother Suggestions
Julius Francis Frank Ollie Elmer Anton Meyer Orrin Erwin Einar
πŸ‘§ Sister Suggestions
Edith Opal Alma Lottie Nellie Florence Leona Mae Cecelia Clara

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