Helena

Helena is a Latinized form of the ancient Greek name Helene, derived from the Greek element helene, meaning torch or bright light, and possibly connected to Helios, the sun god, or to a pre-Greek word for the moon. The name is most famously associated with Helen of Troy, the legendary Spartan queen whose abduction sparked the Trojan War, as well as Saint Helena, the fourth-century Roman empress and mother of Constantine the Great, who is venerated for her pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The name spread widely across Europe through Christian veneration of the saint and appears in numerous forms, including Elena, Eleanor, Ellen, and Helen. It remains in use across many European languages and cultures today.