Namewise

Elizabeth vs Helen

Elizabeth 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1982, Elizabeth was ranked #20 and Helen #84 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1990, Elizabeth was ranked #23 and Helen #84 among girls in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Elizabeth was ranked #74 and Helen #705 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Elizabeth was ranked #76 and Helen #381 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Elizabeth was ranked #113 and Helen #541 among girls in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Elizabeth was ranked #124 and Helen #391 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2024, Elizabeth was ranked #484 and Helen #461 among girls in Norway.

Elizabeth and Helen over time

Elizabeth and Helen appear together in 6 published lists, across 254 years of shared records. Elizabeth held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Helen in 1.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Elizabeth reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Helen 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.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1961, Elizabeth moved ahead of Helen in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #17 and #14 the year before became #15 and #21.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Elizabeth and Helen changed places 6 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1954 and 1990, ending at #23 and #84.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 31 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Elizabeth and Helen averaged 19.2 places apart, ending at #20 and #84.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Elizabeth and Helen were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #74 and #705.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Elizabeth #26 in 1996, Helen #108 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #6 and #13 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2025 they were #76 and #381.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls77 shared years, 1945–2024

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Helen in 65.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #154 in 1968, Helen #93 in 1970.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Elizabeth #484, Helen #461.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Helen in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #5 in 1969, Helen #11 in 1966.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Elizabeth #76, Helen #381.

  • New Zealand · Girls37 shared years, 1954–1990

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Helen in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #7 in 1954, Helen #12 in 1958.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1990: Elizabeth #23, Helen #84.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls31 shared years, 1952–1982

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Helen in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #10 in 1952, Helen #9 in 1952.

    The order changed in 1961: Elizabeth moved ahead. In 1960 they stood at #17 and #14; by 1961 that had become #15 and #21.

    Most recent shared year, 1982: Elizabeth #20, Helen #84.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Helen in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #26 in 1996, Helen #108 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Elizabeth #74, Helen #705.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1997–2023

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Helen in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #55 in 1997, Helen #132 in 1999.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Elizabeth #124, Helen #391.

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 Elizabeth

Pairs where Elizabeth 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 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Elizabeth, Helen
FieldElizabethHelen
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningFrom the Greek Elisabet, from Hebrew Elisheva, combining 'el' (God) with 'shava' ('oath') — 'my God is an oath'. Appears in the Old Testament as Elisheba, Aaron's wife, and in the New Testament as the mother of John the Baptist.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.
OriginBiblical HebrewGreek, meaning disputed
Pronunciation/ɪ.ˈlɪz.ə.bəθ//ˈhɛl.ən/
Syllables42
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedHelena, Helene, Ellen, Elena
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #74 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #381 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)65/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)70/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Elizabeth is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Helen is recorded with a Greek, meaning disputed origin.
  • Elizabeth has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Helen.
  • Elizabeth'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, NO, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Elizabeth 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

Elizabeth

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #341 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 recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1969 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #74 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