Helen

From Namespedia - Names Meaning and Origins

Name: Helen

Gender: Feminine

Location: Europe

Language: English

Thematic: Mythology

Meaning: Torch; shining one.

Comments: The name refers to the Greek mythological character of Helen, the daughter of Zeus and Leda, and wife of the Spartan king Menelaos, who was abducted by the Trojan prince Alexander (or Paris, which is another of his names), thereby instigating the so-called Trojan War. Helen is the English form of the Greek name Helene. The most likely derivation of this name is from the Greek word helene, meaning 'torch'. Helene has also been related to the name of the moon goddess Selene, which is probably derived from the Greek word selas, meaning 'brightness'. In Aeschylus' tragedy "Agamemnon" the Chorus find the 'truth' of the name Helen in the Greek verb stem hel, meaning 'destroyer' and call her hele-nas ('destroyer of ships'), hel-andros ('destroyer of men') and hele-ptolis ('destroyer of cities'), but this is word-play or punning, not real etymology.