Helene

Helene is the ancient Greek form of Helen, derived from the Greek root meaning torch or bright light, though some scholars have also proposed a connection to the Greek word for Greece itself. In Greek mythology, Helene 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 storied in classical tradition. The name spread widely across Europe through early Christian veneration of Helena, the mother of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great. Closely related forms include Helena, Helen, Elena, and the French variant Hélène.