Helena

Helena is the Latinized form of the ancient Greek name Helene, derived from the element helene, which may relate to the Greek word for torch or brightness, though some scholars connect it to Hellas, the Greek name for Greece itself. In Greek mythology, Helen of Troy, whose abduction by Paris sparked the Trojan War, is the most legendary bearer of the name. Its enduring use across Europe owes much to Saint Helena, the fourth-century Roman empress and mother of Constantine the Great, who became venerated for her pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Helene, Elena, and Ellen are among the many cognates and variants found across European languages.