Helen
Girl name · #461 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Helen? In official American birth records, Helen has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Helen ranks #461 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 668 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #419, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,695 girls born in 2025 was named Helen.
The 145-year story
Helen first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 636 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1918, when 36,148 girls were named Helen — good for #2 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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.
Babies named Helen per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Helen against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Helen in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Helen 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 Helen is most common
Geography matters for names, and Helen is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Helen is most common in VA (1.2 per 1,000), MD (1 per 1,000), SC (1 per 1,000), KS (0.9 per 1,000), MA (0.7 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.5 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Helen is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Helen
Statistically, parents drawn to Helen tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Edith, Irene, Alma, Marie, and Marian.
EdithIreneAlmaMarieMarianFrancesHellenLouise
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Helen | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 668 | #461 |
| 2024 | 728 | #425 |
| 2023 | 777 | #395 |
| 2022 | 749 | #422 |
| 2021 | 704 | #443 |
| 2020 | 721 | #426 |
| 2019 | 743 | #428 |
| 2018 | 745 | #415 |
| 2017 | 764 | #418 |
| 2016 | 816 | #409 |
| 2015 | 767 | #419 |
| 2014 | 802 | #403 |
| 2013 | 740 | #411 |
| 2012 | 772 | #403 |
| 2011 | 731 | #429 |
| 2010 | 705 | #436 |
| 2009 | 826 | #388 |
| 2008 | 885 | #368 |
| 2007 | 932 | #349 |
| 2006 | 949 | #348 |
| 2005 | 961 | #333 |
| 2004 | 861 | #364 |
| 2003 | 783 | #392 |
| 2002 | 875 | #341 |
| 2001 | 884 | #344 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Helen?
In official American birth records, the name Helen first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 636 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Helen a popular girl name?
Helen ranked #461 among girls in 2025 with 668 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #419.
When was the name Helen most popular?
Helen peaked in 1918, when 36,148 American girls received the name (ranked #2 that year). Since 1918 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Helen?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,695 newborn American girls was named Helen. 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.