Helen

From French Hélène, from Latin Helena, from Ancient Greek Ἑλένη (Helénē). Doublet of Elaine.

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• IPA^(key): /ˈhɛlən/
• Rhymes: -ɛlən

Helen (countable and uncountable, plural Helens)

2. (Greek mythology) The daughter of Zeus and Leda, considered to be the most beautiful woman in the world; her abduction by Paris brought about the Trojan War.
   • c. 1602, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:

     Fools on both sides! Helen must needs be fair,
     When with your blood you daily paint her thus.

3. A female given name from Ancient Greek.
   • 1928, Agatha Christie, The Mystery of the Blue Train:

     "Is her name Ellen or Helen, Miss Viner? I thought —"
     Miss Viner closed her eyes.
     "I can sound my h's, dear, as well as anyone, but Helen is not a suitable name for a servant. I don't know what the mothers in the lower classes are coming to nowadays."

   • 1993, Oscar Hijuelos, The Fourteen Sisters of Emilio Montez O'Brien, →ISBN, page 6:

     ...in 1910 she brought Helen into the world, the little female, or "mujercita", as her mother called all the babies, naming her after the glittery label on a facial ointment, The Helen of Troy Beauty Pomade, said to eradicate wrinkles, to soften and add a youthful glow to the user's skin - a fortuitous choice because, of all the sisters, she would be the most beautiful and, never growing old, would always possess the face of a winsome adolescent beauty.

   • 2003, Deborah Crombie, A Share in Death, HarperCollins, →ISBN, page 189:

     Gemma followed her, thinking that Helen seemed rather an old-fashioned and elegant name for this rumpled young mother.

4. A place in the United States:
   1. A minor city in White County, Georgia.
   2. An unincorporated community in St. Mary's County, Maryland.
   3. A census-designated place in Raleigh County, West Virginia.

• Elaine, Elena, Ellen, Ellie, Helena, Helene, Ilona, Lena, Nell, Nellie

Helen (plural Helens)

1. Any of various papilionid butterflies of the genus Papilio.
   • 2017, David G. James, The Book of Caterpillars, page 58:

     The Yellow Helen […] belongs to a clade of related swallowtail butterflies, the helenus group, or Helens, which are typically large, predominantly black butterflies with long tails and a large, white area on the hindwings.

• black and white Helen

• Ehlen

Helen

1. a female given name borrowed from English

• IPA^(key): /ˈhelen/, [ˈ(h)elen]

Helen

1. a female given name, short form of Helena, also borrowed from English Helen

Helen

1. a female given name borrowed from English

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Helen c (genitive Helens)

1. a female given name borrowed from English

Helen

1. (Greek mythology) Helen