Helena

Often associated with Greek tradition and popularly connected with the idea of ‘light’.

Helena is a classic feminine given name with a long history of use across Europe. It appears in many languages and spelling traditions, which is why you’ll see multiple familiar forms in everyday life. The name comes from Greek Helene. Many popular explanations connect it with the idea of ‘light’ (often via associations with words for “torch” or brightness), although detailed linguistic analyses can vary by source. Regardless of the fine etymological debates, Helena is a well-established traditional name in modern usage. A practical English pronunciation guide is heh-LAY-nuh. In German and some other languages the middle vowel may be a bit shorter; if you care about matching local usage, listening and mirroring is usually enough.

Etymology: From Greek Helene; exact linguistic analysis varies by source, but the name is long established across Europe in multiple forms.