Helen

Helen is an English form of the ancient Greek name Helene, derived from the Greek element helene, meaning torch or corposant, though some scholars connect it to Selene, the moon goddess, or to a root meaning the bright one. In Greek mythology, Helen of Troy was the famously beautiful daughter of Zeus and Leda whose abduction by Paris sparked the Trojan War, making the name one of the most celebrated in classical literature. The name spread widely through the Christian world partly due to Saint Helena, the mother of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great, who was venerated for her pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Related forms include Helena, Elena, Eleanor, Ellen, Helene, and the Swedish variant Helén.