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Deirdre vs Helen

Deirdre and Helen compared 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.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 1999, Deirdre was ranked #3900 and Helen #183 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2019, Deirdre was ranked #871 and Helen #395 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Deirdre and Helen over time

Republic of Ireland · Girls
#10#30#100#30019642019Deirdre #871Helen #3951964: Deirdre #14, Helen #131965: Deirdre #11, Helen #121966: Deirdre #7, Helen #111967: Deirdre #9, Helen #131968: Deirdre #7, Helen #161969: Deirdre #8, Helen #141970: Deirdre #9, Helen #141971: Deirdre #10, Helen #221972: Deirdre #9, Helen #241973: Deirdre #7, Helen #271974: Deirdre #8, Helen #281975: Deirdre #10, Helen #281976: Deirdre #9, Helen #321977: Deirdre #7, Helen #341978: Deirdre #8, Helen #411979: Deirdre #8, Helen #421980: Deirdre #15, Helen #431981: Deirdre #17, Helen #401982: Deirdre #15, Helen #411983: Deirdre #20, Helen #431984: Deirdre #20, Helen #451985: Deirdre #23, Helen #471986: Deirdre #24, Helen #521987: Deirdre #25, Helen #591988: Deirdre #32, Helen #501989: Deirdre #39, Helen #671990: Deirdre #43, Helen #751991: Deirdre #42, Helen #761992: Deirdre #52, Helen #891993: Deirdre #51, Helen #951994: Deirdre #61, Helen #961995: Deirdre #67, Helen #881996: Deirdre #80, Helen #801997: Deirdre #88, Helen #851998: Deirdre #152, Helen #1071999: Deirdre #171, Helen #1212000: Deirdre #213, Helen #1202001: Deirdre #166, Helen #1472002: Deirdre #182, Helen #1822003: Deirdre #233, Helen #1422004: Deirdre #340, Helen #1532005: Deirdre #398, Helen #1602006: Deirdre #247, Helen #1782007: Deirdre #326, Helen #2412008: Deirdre #403, Helen #2372009: Deirdre #488, Helen #2722010: Deirdre #663, Helen #2362011: Deirdre #695, Helen #2202013: Deirdre #747, Helen #2542014: Deirdre #876, Helen #2912019: Deirdre #871, Helen #395

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

Deirdre and Helen over time

Deirdre and Helen appear together in 1 published list, across 51 years of shared records. Deirdre held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Helen in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

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.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Deirdre and Helen were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 51 years, from 1964 to 2019, ending at #871 and #395.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Deirdre #7 in 1966, Helen #11 in 1966.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #14 and #13 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2019 they were #871 and #395.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls51 shared years, 1964–2019

    Deirdre held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Helen in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Deirdre #7 in 1966, Helen #11 in 1966.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Deirdre #871, Helen #395.

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 Deirdre

Pairs where Deirdre 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart →

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

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

Republic of Ireland overview →

Other pairs ranked together in the 2010s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2010 and 2019.

The 2010s across all registrars →

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Deirdre, Helen
FieldDeirdreHelen
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedThe 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.
OriginNot yet recordedGreek, meaning disputed
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈhɛl.ən/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedHelena, Helene, Ellen, Elena
Recorded regional usageEngland and Wales, Republic of IrelandNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #871 (2019)Republic of Ireland · Girls #381 (2025)
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Helen has a recorded origin (Greek, meaning disputed); Deirdre does not have one recorded yet.
  • Deirdre and Helen both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Helen; Deirdre doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
  • The available evidence gives Deirdre a "medium" Data Confidence level and Helen a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Deirdre

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #14 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2019

    Highest recorded position: #7 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1966 (recorded 1964–2019).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2019

    Most recently recorded at #871 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2019.

    Republic of Ireland · 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