Dervla vs Helen
Dervla 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2017, Dervla was ranked #651 and Helen #316 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2010, Dervla was ranked #430 and Helen #324 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2016, Dervla was ranked #5785 and Helen #622 among girls in England and Wales.
Dervla and Helen over time
Dervla and Helen appear together in 3 published lists, across 73 years of shared records. Helen held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Dervla in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Helen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Dervla in 1. 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Dervla and Helen were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 49 years, from 1966 to 2017, ending at #651 and #316.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Dervla #1666 in 1997, Helen #108 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls49 shared years, 1966–2017
Dervla held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Helen in 49.
Highest recorded here: Dervla #235 in 1996, Helen #11 in 1966.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Dervla #651, Helen #316.
Northern Ireland · Girls13 shared years, 1997–2010
Dervla held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Helen in 7.
Highest recorded here: Dervla #161 in 1997, Helen #132 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2010: Dervla #430, Helen #324.
England and Wales · Girls11 shared years, 1996–2016
Dervla held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Helen in 11.
Highest recorded here: Dervla #1666 in 1997, Helen #108 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Dervla #5785, Helen #622.
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 | Dervla | Helen |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | 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 | Not yet recorded | Greek, meaning disputed |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈhɛl.ən/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Helena, Helene, Ellen, Elena |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #651 (2017) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #381 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Helen has a recorded origin (Greek, meaning disputed); Dervla does not have one recorded yet.
- Dervla and Helen both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Helen; Dervla doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
- The available evidence gives Dervla 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
Dervla
Popularity journey
First recorded1966
First recorded at #380 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2012
Highest recorded position: #161 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1997–2012).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2017
Most recently recorded at #651 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2017.
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