Namewise

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 2025, Aimee was ranked #1809 and Helen #705 among girls in England and Wales.

Aimee and Helen over time

Aimee and Helen appear together in 4 published lists, across 108 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.

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 · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Aimee held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Helen in 6.

    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, 2025: Aimee #1809, Helen #705.

  • 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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Aimee

Pairs where Aimee shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Helen

Pairs where Helen shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1990s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1990 and 1999.

The 1990s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Aimee, Helen
FieldAimeeHelen
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA 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.
OriginFrench, cognate with AmyGreek, meaning disputed
Pronunciation/ˈeɪ.mi//ˈhɛl.ən/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesAmy, AiméeHelena, Helene, Ellen, Elena
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #885 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #381 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighhigh

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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #9 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1809 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Helen

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–1982

    Highest recorded position: #9 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1982).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #705 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls