Helen vs Rosa

Helen and Rosacompared 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, Helen was ranked #391 and Rosa #72 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Helen was ranked #885 and Rosa #94 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Helen was ranked #541 and Rosa #108 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Helen was ranked #381 and Rosa #226 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2019, Helen was ranked #374 and Rosa #525 among girls in Norway.

Helen and Rosa over time

Helen and Rosa appear together in 4 published lists, across 125 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 3 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 3 of those lists, Rosa 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
Helen and Rosa were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 48 years, from 1945 to 2019, ending at #374 and #525.

List by list

Norway · Girls48 shared years, 1945–2019
Helen held the stronger position in 48 of those years, Rosa in 0.
Highest recorded here: Helen #93 in 1970, Rosa #280 in 1948.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Helen #374, Rosa #525.
Republic of Ireland · Girls35 shared years, 1970–2025
Helen held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Rosa in 9.
Highest recorded here: Helen #14 in 1970, Rosa #197 in 2020.
The order changed in 2019: Rosa moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #255 and #280; by 2019 that had become #395 and #296.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Helen #381, Rosa #226.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Helen held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Rosa in 20.
Highest recorded here: Helen #108 in 1996, Rosa #94 in 2024.
The order changed in 2005: Rosa moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #313 and #331; by 2005 that had become #383 and #354.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Helen #885, Rosa #94.
Northern Ireland · Girls13 shared years, 2001–2023
Helen held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Rosa in 8.
Highest recorded here: Helen #155 in 2002, Rosa #72 in 2023.
The order changed in 2005: Rosa moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #169 and #212; by 2005 that had become #377 and #278.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Helen #391, Rosa #72.

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 Helen

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

Helen vs Carmel
In 1964 they stood at #13 and #21 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2015 they were #222 and #896.
Helen · Carmel · 46 shared years, 1964–2015 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2015 Republic of Ireland ranking
Helen vs Pauline
In 1964 they stood at #13 and #12 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2018 they were #255 and #896.
Helen · Pauline · 45 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2018 Republic of Ireland ranking
Helen vs Teresa
In 1964 they stood at #13 and #19 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #381 and #885.
Helen · Teresa · 62 shared years, 1964–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2025 Republic of Ireland ranking
Geraldine vs Helen
In 1964 they stood at #9 and #13 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 4 places apart; by 2021 they were #883 and #390.
Geraldine · Helen · 51 shared years, 1964–2021 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2021 Republic of Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Helen, Rosa
Field	Helen	Rosa
Record type	Editorially researched profile	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usage	female	female
Meaning	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.	Not yet recorded
Origin	Greek, meaning disputed	Not yet recorded
Pronunciation	/ˈhɛl.ən/
Syllables	2	2
Common variants / nicknames	Helena, Helene, Ellen, Elena	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Girls #381 (2025)	Republic of Ireland · Girls #226 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	90/100	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	94/100	95/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	high	medium

What the data shows

Helen has a recorded origin (Greek, meaning disputed); Rosa does not have one recorded yet.
Helen and Rosa both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Helen; Rosa doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
The available evidence gives Helen a "high" Data Confidence level and Rosa a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

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

Rosa

Popularity journey

First recorded1945
First recorded at #334 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded2001–2024
Highest recorded position: #53 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2015 (recorded 2001–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #226 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls