Helen

Helen comes from the ancient Greek name Helene, whose root meaning is debated but most commonly linked to the Greek word for torch or light, though some scholars connect it to Hellas, the Greek word for Greece itself. The name is most famously associated with Helen of Troy, the legendary Mycenaean queen whose abduction sparked the Trojan War in Greek mythology. Early Christian veneration of Saint Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine I credited with discovering the True Cross, helped spread the name widely throughout Europe. Common cognates and variants include Elena, Eleanor, Ellen, and Elaine.