Helene vs Maria
Helene and Mariacompared 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 1991, Helene was ranked #515 and Maria #37 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Helene was ranked #101 and Maria #62 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2018, Helene was ranked #4684 and Maria #66 among girls in England and Wales.
Helene and Maria over time
Helene and Maria appear together in 3 published lists, across 110 years of shared records. Maria held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Helene in 0.
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.
Helene reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Maria 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 1949, Maria moved ahead of Helene in Norway · Girls — #112 and #134 the year before became #139 and #107.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 81 shared years in Norway · Girls, Helene and Maria averaged 31.2 places apart, ending at #101 and #62.
- Longest-running competitions
Helene and Maria were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #101 and #62.
List by list
Norway · Girls81 shared years, 1945–2025
Helene held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Maria in 78.
Highest recorded here: Helene #7 in 1995, Maria #3 in 1982.
The order changed in 1949: Maria moved ahead. In 1948 they stood at #112 and #134; by 1949 that had become #139 and #107.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Helene #101, Maria #62.
England and Wales · Girls21 shared years, 1996–2018
Helene held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maria in 21.
Highest recorded here: Helene #1168 in 1996, Maria #66 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Helene #4684, Maria #66.
Republic of Ireland · Girls8 shared years, 1964–1991
Helene held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maria in 8.
Highest recorded here: Helene #265 in 1969, Maria #25 in 1971.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1991: Helene #515, Maria #37.
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 | Helene | Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | The Latin form of Greek Maria, from Hebrew Miryam (see Mary). |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #101 (2025) | Norway · Girls #62 (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 | medium |
What the data shows
- Maria has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission); Helene does not have one recorded yet.
- Helene has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Maria.
- A meaning is recorded for Maria; Helene doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Helene
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #110 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #7 among girls in Norway, in 1995 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #101 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Maria
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #62 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls