Helvia gens
The gens Helvia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. This gens is first mentioned at the time of the Second Punic War, but the only member of the family to hold any curule magistracy under the Republic was Gaius Helvius, praetor in BC 198. Soon afterward, the family slipped into obscurity, from which it was redeemed by the emperor Pertinax, nearly four centuries later. Praenomina. The Helvii of the Republic are known to have used the praenomina "Gnaeus, Gaius", and "Marcus". In imperial times we also find "Lucius" and "Publius". All of these were amongst the most  common praenomina throughout all periods of Roman history. Branches and cognomina. The surnames of the Helvii under the Republic included "Blasio", "Cinna", and "Mancia", but several of the family appear without a cognomen. Under the Empire, a number of Helvii are found with the surname "Rufus", but it is not apparent whether they constituted a distinct family of the Helvia gens.