Grainne vs Helena
Grainne and Helenacompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Grainne was ranked #237 and Helena #391 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2018, Grainne was ranked #896 and Helena #255 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2022, Grainne was ranked #5669 and Helena #327 among girls in England and Wales.
Grainne and Helena over time
Grainne and Helena appear together in 3 published lists, across 93 years of shared records. Grainne held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Helena 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.
Helena reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Grainne 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2016, Helena moved ahead of Grainne in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #177 and #244 the year before became #254 and #187.
- Longest-running competitions
Grainne and Helena were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 55 years, from 1964 to 2018, ending at #896 and #255.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Grainne #1234 in 1997, Helena #145 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1964 they stood at #62 and #63 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2018 they were #896 and #255.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls55 shared years, 1964–2018
Grainne held the stronger position in 52 of those years, Helena in 3.
Highest recorded here: Grainne #37 in 1989, Helena #63 in 1964.
The order changed in 2016: Helena moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #177 and #244; by 2016 that had become #254 and #187.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Grainne #896, Helena #255.
England and Wales · Girls19 shared years, 1996–2022
Grainne held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Helena in 19.
Highest recorded here: Grainne #1234 in 1997, Helena #145 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Grainne #5669, Helena #327.
Northern Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 1997–2023
Grainne held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Helena in 0.
Highest recorded here: Grainne #60 in 1998, Helena #229 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Grainne #237, Helena #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.
Side by side
| Field | Grainne | Helena |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Northern Ireland · Girls #407 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #166 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Grainne has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Helena.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Grainne
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #62 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
Highest recorded1964–2018
Highest recorded position: #37 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1989 (recorded 1964–2018).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #407 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2024.
Northern Ireland · Girls
Helena
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #326 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #63 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #329 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls