Aimee vs Helen
Aimee and Helencompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1990, Aimee was ranked #63 and Helen #84 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Aimee was ranked #885 and Helen #381 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Aimee was ranked #391 and Helen #391 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Aimee was ranked #541 and Helen #541 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Aimee was ranked #1603 and Helen #885 among girls in England and Wales.
Aimee and Helen over time
Aimee and Helen appear together in 4 published lists, across 107 years of shared records. Aimee held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Helen in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Helen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Aimee in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One took the other's place near the top
In New Zealand · Girls, Aimee moved into the top 50 at #36 in 1982 as Helen fell out of it to #55, having been #38 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1982, Aimee moved ahead of Helen in New Zealand · Girls — #64 and #38 the year before became #36 and #55.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Aimee and Helen changed places 6 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1977 and 2025, ending at #885 and #381.
- Longest-running competitions
Aimee and Helen were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 49 years, from 1977 to 2025, ending at #885 and #381.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls49 shared years, 1977–2025
Aimee held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Helen in 22.
Highest recorded here: Aimee #46 in 2005, Helen #34 in 1977.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Aimee #885, Helen #381.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Aimee held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Helen in 5.
Highest recorded here: Aimee #47 in 2004, Helen #108 in 1996.
The order changed in 2019: Helen moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #587 and #641; by 2019 that had become #838 and #749.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Aimee #1603, Helen #885.
Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1997–2023
Aimee held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Helen in 0.
Highest recorded here: Aimee #9 in 2004, Helen #132 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Aimee #391, Helen #391.
New Zealand · Girls12 shared years, 1979–1990
Aimee held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Helen in 3.
Highest recorded here: Aimee #31 in 1983, Helen #28 in 1980.
The order changed in 1982: Aimee moved ahead. In 1981 they stood at #64 and #38; by 1982 that had become #36 and #55.
Most recent shared year, 1990: Aimee #63, Helen #84.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Aimee | Helen |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A variant of Amy, influenced by the French Aimée, carrying associations of love ('beloved'). | The English form of Greek Helene. The meaning is genuinely debated among scholars — likely from Greek 'helene' ('torch'), though some suggest a connection to 'selene' ('moon'). In mythology, Helen's abduction by Paris sparked the Trojan War; the name's continued Christian use stems from Saint Helena. |
| Origin | French, cognate with Amy | Greek, meaning disputed |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪ.mi/ | /ˈhɛl.ən/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Amy, Aimée | Helena, Helene, Ellen, Elena |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #885 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #381 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | high |
What the data shows
- Aimee is recorded with a French, cognate with Amy origin, while Helen is recorded with a Greek, meaning disputed origin.
- Aimee and Helen both have 2 syllables.
- Aimee's recorded meaning differs from Helen's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Aimee
Popularity journey
First recorded1977
First recorded at #429 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1977 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #9 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Helen
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #149 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1982
Highest recorded position: #9 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1982).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #438 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls