Helena

See also: helena, Heléna, Héléna, Helená, Helēna, Helēnā, heleną, Heleną, and Hêlêna

English

Etymology

A Latinate form of Helen, from Latin Helena.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɛlənə/
• IPA^(key): (esp. Southern US) /hɛˈliːnə/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Proper noun

Helena

1. A female given name from Ancient Greek.
   • c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:

     Stay gentle Helena, heare my excuſe: / My loue, my life, my ſoule, faire Helena.

2. The capital city of Montana, United States and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County.
3. A city in Alabama.
4. A city in Arkansas.
5. A town in Oklahoma.
6. A village in Ohio.
7. A census-designated place in Mississippi.
8. A hamlet in New York.
9. A ghost town in Texas.

Derived terms

• Helena-West Helena
• McRae-Helena
• Mount Helena
• Saint Helena, St. Helena

Anagrams

• Lehane, anhele

Catalan

Proper noun

Helena f

1. Helena

Cebuano

Etymology

From English Helena, from Latin Helena.

Proper noun

Helena

1. a female given name from Latin

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɦɛlɛna]

Proper noun

Helena f

1. a female given name, equivalent to English Helen

Declension

Declension of Helena (hard feminine)

	singular	plural
nominative	Helena	Heleny
genitive	Heleny	Helen
dative	Heleně	Helenám
accusative	Helenu	Heleny
vocative	Heleno	Heleny
locative	Heleně	Helenách
instrumental	Helenou	Helenami

Related terms

• See Helén

• Ilona

 

Further reading

• “Helena”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “Helena”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989

Danish

Etymology

A Latinate variant of Danish Helene (“Helen”).

Proper noun

Helena

1. a female given name

Dutch

Etymology

Ultimately from Latin Helena, from Ancient Greek Ἑλένη (Helénē).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɦeːˈleːnaː/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: He‧le‧na

Proper noun

Helena f

1. a female given name, a Latinate variant of Heleen (=Helen)

Related terms

• Heleen, Leen

Estonian

Etymology

From Latin Helena, from Ancient Greek Ἑλένη (Helénē). Doublet of Jelena.

Proper noun

Helena

1. a female given name, equivalent to English Helen

Related terms

• Heleene, Elina, Elle, Ellen, Hele, Helen, Heleri, Heli, Helina, Helle, Ilona

Faroese

Etymology

Ultimately, from Ancient Greek Ἑλένη (Helénē), cognate with English Helen.

Proper noun

Helena f

1. a female given name

Usage notes

Matronymics

• son of Helena: Helenuson
• daughter of Helena: Helenudóttir

Declension

	Singular
	Indefinite
Nominative	Helena
Accusative	Helenu
Dative	Helenu
Genitive	Helenu

Finnish

Etymology

From Ancient Greek Ἑλένη (Helénē), cognate with English Helen. Doublet of Elina, Helinä, Elena, and Jelena.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhelenɑ/, [ˈhe̞le̞nɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -elenɑ
• Syllabification^(key): He‧le‧na

Proper noun

Helena

1. a female given name
   • 1984, Veronica Pimenoff, Loistava Helena, Tammi, →ISBN, page 55:

     Se ei koskaan unohtanut Helenan nimipäivää, vaan päivitteli joka vuosi typerään tapaansa että Helena oli niitä nimiä jotka sukupolvesta toiseen säilyttivät asemansa. Aika oudosti sanottu Maggi-tädiltä. No, olihan noita Helenoita.

     She had never forgotten Helena's name day, but always bemoaned that Helena is one of thsoe names that endured from one generation to another. Weird coming from aunt Maggi. Well, yes, Helenas were indeed a thing.

   • 1991, Orvokki Kangas, Marraslapsi, Karisto, →ISBN, page 17:

     Eeva kysyi Matiakselta, tuntuisiko tästä turhamaiselta tai herraskaiselta, jos lapsen kutsumanimeksi pantaisiin Helena. Hän kertoi myös kotikylän nimikkokukasta. Hänen rakkautensa kukkaan oli saanut alkunsa Helenan tarinasta.
     —Aivan hyvä nimi, sanoi Matias, —sopisikohan siihen vielä Loviisa-äidin nimi?

     Eeva asked Matias whether it would seem conceited or fanciful to give the child a name like Helena' and told of the flower the village was named after. Her love to the flower had begun from Helenas story.
     —It's a pretty good name, Matias said, —could the mother's name Loviisa also fit with it?

Declension

Inflection of Helena (Kotus type 12/kulkija, no gradation)
nominative		Helena	Helenat
genitive		Helenan	Helenoiden Helenoitten
partitive		Helenaa	Helenoita
illative		Helenaan	Helenoihin
		singular	plural
nominative		Helena	Helenat
accusative	nom.	Helena	Helenat
	gen.	Helenan
genitive		Helenan	Helenoiden Helenoitten Helenain rare
partitive		Helenaa	Helenoita
inessive		Helenassa	Helenoissa
elative		Helenasta	Helenoista
illative		Helenaan	Helenoihin
adessive		Helenalla	Helenoilla
ablative		Helenalta	Helenoilta
allative		Helenalle	Helenoille
essive		Helenana	Helenoina
translative		Helenaksi	Helenoiksi
abessive		Helenatta	Helenoitta
instructive		—	Helenoin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of Helena (Kotus type 12/kulkija, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative Helenani Helenani accusative nom. Helenani Helenani gen. Helenani genitive Helenani Helenoideni Helenoitteni Helenaini rare partitive Helenaani Helenoitani inessive Helenassani Helenoissani elative Helenastani Helenoistani illative Helenaani Helenoihini adessive Helenallani Helenoillani ablative Helenaltani Helenoiltani allative Helenalleni Helenoilleni essive Helenanani Helenoinani translative Helenakseni Helenoikseni abessive Helenattani Helenoittani instructive — — comitative — Helenoineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative Helenasi Helenasi accusative nom. Helenasi Helenasi gen. Helenasi genitive Helenasi Helenoidesi Helenoittesi Helenaisi rare partitive Helenaasi Helenoitasi inessive Helenassasi Helenoissasi elative Helenastasi Helenoistasi illative Helenaasi Helenoihisi adessive Helenallasi Helenoillasi ablative Helenaltasi Helenoiltasi allative Helenallesi Helenoillesi essive Helenanasi Helenoinasi translative Helenaksesi Helenoiksesi abessive Helenattasi Helenoittasi instructive — — comitative — Helenoinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative Helenamme Helenamme accusative nom. Helenamme Helenamme gen. Helenamme genitive Helenamme Helenoidemme Helenoittemme Helenaimme rare partitive Helenaamme Helenoitamme inessive Helenassamme Helenoissamme elative Helenastamme Helenoistamme illative Helenaamme Helenoihimme adessive Helenallamme Helenoillamme ablative Helenaltamme Helenoiltamme allative Helenallemme Helenoillemme essive Helenanamme Helenoinamme translative Helenaksemme Helenoiksemme abessive Helenattamme Helenoittamme instructive — — comitative — Helenoinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative Helenanne Helenanne accusative nom. Helenanne Helenanne gen. Helenanne genitive Helenanne Helenoidenne Helenoittenne Helenainne rare partitive Helenaanne Helenoitanne inessive Helenassanne Helenoissanne elative Helenastanne Helenoistanne illative Helenaanne Helenoihinne adessive Helenallanne Helenoillanne ablative Helenaltanne Helenoiltanne allative Helenallenne Helenoillenne essive Helenananne Helenoinanne translative Helenaksenne Helenoiksenne abessive Helenattanne Helenoittanne instructive — — comitative — Helenoinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative Helenansa Helenansa accusative nom. Helenansa Helenansa gen. Helenansa genitive Helenansa Helenoidensa Helenoittensa Helenainsa rare partitive Helenaansa Helenoitaan Helenoitansa inessive Helenassaan Helenassansa Helenoissaan Helenoissansa elative Helenastaan Helenastansa Helenoistaan Helenoistansa illative Helenaansa Helenoihinsa adessive Helenallaan Helenallansa Helenoillaan Helenoillansa ablative Helenaltaan Helenaltansa Helenoiltaan Helenoiltansa allative Helenalleen Helenallensa Helenoilleen Helenoillensa essive Helenanaan Helenanansa Helenoinaan Helenoinansa translative Helenakseen Helenaksensa Helenoikseen Helenoiksensa abessive Helenattaan Helenattansa Helenoittaan Helenoittansa instructive — — comitative — Helenoineen Helenoinensa

Related terms

• Elina, Ellen, Elli, Heleena, Heli, Helinä, Helli, Hellin, Ilona, Leena

Statistics

• Helena is the 53^rd most common female given name in Finland, belonging to 12,343 female individuals (and as a middle name to 108,667 more, making it more common as a middle name), according to February 2023 data from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency of Finland.

German

Etymology

Latinate variant of German Helene (“Helen”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈhɛˌlena]

• Audio (Austria):

  (file)

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: He‧le‧na

Proper noun

Helena

1. a female given name

Hawaiian

Etymology

Borrowed from English Helen.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /heˈle.na/, [hɛˈlɛ.nə]

Proper noun

Helena

1. a female given name from English

Related terms

• ʻElena
• Helene

References

• Mary Kawena Pukui - Samuel H. Elbert, Hawaiian Dictionary, University of Hawaii Press 1971, page 185
• Hawaii State Archives: Marriage records Helena occurs in 19th century marriage records as the only name (mononym) of 6 women.

Icelandic

Proper noun

Helena f

1. a female given name

Declension

Declension of Helena
f-w1	singular
	indefinite
nominative	Helena
accusative	Helenu
dative	Helenu
genitive	Helenu

Latin

Alternative forms

• Helene

Etymology

From Ancient Greek Ἑλένη (Helénē).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈhe.le.na/, [ˈhɛɫ̪ɛnä]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈe.le.na/, [ˈɛːlenä]

Proper noun

Helena f (genitive Helenae); first declension

1. Helen

Declension

First-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	Helena	Helenae
Genitive	Helenae	Helenārum
Dative	Helenae	Helenīs
Accusative	Helenam	Helenās
Ablative	Helenā	Helenīs
Vocative	Helena	Helenae

Descendants

• Eastern Romance:
  • Romanian: Ileana
    • → Italian: Ileana
    • → Spanish: Ileana
• Italian: Elena
• Old French: Elene, Elaine
  • → English: Elaine
• Old Galician-Portuguese:
  • Portuguese: Elena, Helena
• Old Spanish:
  • Spanish: Elena
• Sardinian: Elene

From Italian and Spanish Elena

• → English: Elena
• → Czech: Elena
• → Danish: Elena
• → Finnish: Elena
• → German: Elena
• → Latvian: Elēna, Elena
• → Norwegian: Elena
• → Swedish: Elena

Medieval borrowings

• → Danish: Elin
• → English: Ellen
  • → Hawaiian: ʻElena
• → Faroese: Elin
• → Finnish: Elina, Eliina
• → Hungarian: Ilona
  • → Czech: Ilona
  • → Estonian: Ilona
  • → Finnish: Ilona
  • → German: Ilona
  • → Latvian: Ilona
  • → Lithuanian: Ilona
  • → Polish: Ilona
• → Irish: Léan
• → Latvian: Elīna
• → Lithuanian: Elena
• → Norwegian: Elin
• → Swedish: Elin, Elina
• → Welsh: Elen

Modern borrowings

• → Alemannic German: Helene
• → Basque: Helena
• → Breton: Elena
• → Catalan: Helena
• → Czech: Helena
• → Danish: Helena, Helene
• → Dutch: Helena, Heleen
• → English: Helena
• → English: Helen
• → Estonian: Helena, Helina
• → Faroese: Helena
• → Finnish: Helena
• → French: Hélène
  • → Armenian: Էլեն (Ēlen)
  • → English: Helen
  • → Swedish: Hélène
• → German: Helena, Helene
• → Greek: Ελενα (Elena)
• → Hungarian: Heléna, Helené
• → Karelian: Heta
• → Latvian: Helēna
• → Lithuanian: Helenė
• → Northern Sami: Helená, Heleainná
• → Norwegian: Helena, Helene
• → Polish: Helena
• → Portuguese: Helena
• → Romanian: Elena
• → Spanish: Helena
• → Slovak: Helena, Elena
• → Slovene: Helena
• → Swedish: Helena, Helene
• → Yiddish: העלענע (Helene)

References

“Helena”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press

Norwegian

Etymology

Latinate variant of Norwegian Helene (“Helen”).

Proper noun

Helena

1. a female given name

Polish

Helena

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin Helena.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xɛˈlɛ.na/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛna
• Syllabification: He‧le‧na
• Homophone: helena

Proper noun

Helena f (diminutive Helenka or Hela)

1. (countable) a female given name from Latin [in turn from Ancient Greek], equivalent to English Helen
2. (uncountable, Greek mythology) Helen (goddess worshipped in Laconia and Rhodes)
3. (uncountable, Greek mythology) Helen (daughter of Zeus and Leda, considered to be the most beautiful woman in the world; her abduction by Paris brought about the Trojan War)
4. (uncountable, astronomy) Helene (moon of Saturn)

Declension

Declension of Helena

	singular	plural
nominative	Helena	Heleny
genitive	Heleny	Helen
dative	Helenie	Helenom
accusative	Helenę	Heleny
instrumental	Heleną	Helenami
locative	Helenie	Helenach
vocative	Heleno	Heleny

Further reading

• Helena in Polish dictionaries at PWN
• Helena in PWN's encyclopedia

Portuguese

Alternative forms

• Elena

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin Helena, from Ancient Greek Ἑλένη (Helénē).

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /eˈlẽ.nɐ/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /eˈlẽ.nɐ/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /eˈle.na/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /iˈle.nɐ/

• Hyphenation: He‧le‧na

Proper noun

Helena f (plural Helenas)

1. a female given name from Ancient Greek, equivalent to English Helen

Derived terms

• Lena

Slovak

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɦɛlɛna/

Proper noun

Helena f (genitive singular Heleny, nominative plural Heleny, declension pattern of žena)

1. a female given name

Declension

Declension of Helena

	singular	plural
nominative	Helena	Heleny
genitive	Heleny	Helien
dative	Helene	Helenám
accusative	Helenu	Heleny
locative	Helene	Helenách
instrumental	Helenou	Helenami

Derived terms

• Helenka, Helenôčka
• Hela, Helka
• Heluša, Heluška
• Ela, Elka
• Eluša, Eluška

Further reading

• “Helena”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2024

Swedish

Etymology

From Ancient Greek Ἑλένη (Helénē), cognate with English Helen. First recorded in Sweden in the 12th century.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Proper noun

Helena c (genitive Helenas)

1. a female given name

Related terms

• Elin, Elina, Ellen, Elna, Helen, Helén, Helene, Hélène, Lena

References

• Roland Otterbjörk: Svenska förnamn, Almqvist & Wiksell 1996, →ISBN
• [1] Statistiska centralbyrån and Sture Allén, Staffan Wåhlin, Förnamnsboken, Norstedts 1995, →ISBN: 82 717 females with the given name Helena living in Sweden on December 31st, 2010, with the frequency peak in the 1970s. Accessed on 19 June 2011.