# Helen
## English
### Etymology

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

### Pronunciation

* Audio (US):(file)
* IPA: /ˈhɛlən/
* Rhymes: -ɛlən

### Proper noun

Helen (countable and uncountable, plural Helens)
* (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.
* 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.
* A place in the United States:
** A minor city in White County, Georgia.
** An unincorporated community in St. Mary's County, Maryland.
** A census-designated place in Raleigh County, West Virginia.

#### Derived terms

* Helendale
* Helensburgh
* Helensville
* St Helens, St. Helens
* Theddlethorpe St Helen

#### Related terms

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

#### Descendants

* → Danish: Helen
* → Estonian: Helen
* → Hawaiian: Helena
* → Norwegian: Helen
* → Swedish: Helen

#### Translations
### Noun

Helen (plural Helens)
* 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.

#### Derived terms

* black and white Helen

### Anagrams

* Ehlen

## Danish
### Proper noun

Helen
* a female given name borrowed from English

## Estonian
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈhelen/, [ˈ(h)elen]

### Proper noun

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

## Norwegian
### Proper noun

Helen
* a female given name borrowed from English

## Swedish
### Pronunciation

* Audio:(file)

### Proper noun

Helen c (genitive Helens)
* a female given name borrowed from English

## Turkish
### Proper noun

Helen
* (Greek mythology) Helen