Helen’s Notebook: Personalized Journal for Helen
Helen's Notebook puts her name front and center, written in flowing script across a soft watercolor apple blossom design.
- 160 lined pages
- 6" x 9" paperback
- Watercolor apple blossom cover with "Helen's Notebook" on the front
- Printed and shipped by Amazon
Helen: meaning and origin
Helen is the English form of the Greek Helene. Its origin is uncertain, but it is often linked to the Greek word for “torch”, or to selene, “moon”. In Greek mythology, Helen of Troy’s abduction sparked the Trojan War. The name was also borne by Saint Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine. In medieval England it was usually spelled Ellen, and the spelling Helen became common after the Renaissance.
Nicknames and variants
Nell, Nellie and Nelly are the traditional nicknames for Helen, along with Lena, Ella, Ellie and Elle. The name has sisters all over Europe: Helena, Elena and Jelena, and the old English form Ellen.
Famous people named Helen
Helen Keller, who was both blind and deaf, became a celebrated author and lecturer. Dame Helen Mirren won an Academy Award for playing the Queen. Melbourne-born singer Helen Reddy had a worldwide hit with “I Am Woman”. And Helen Fielding created Bridget Jones, perhaps the most famous diary-keeper in modern fiction.
Is Helen a popular name?
Helen was one of America’s favorite names around 1900. US Social Security data has it 4th in the 1890s, 2nd in both the 1900s and the 1910s, and 3rd in the 1920s, when about 290,000 Helens were born. It fell out of the top 200 after the 1960s, so the Helens you know are likely to be moms, grandmothers or great-grandmothers.
Helen trivia
Helen Keller lost her sight and hearing at just 19 months old, and went on to graduate from college and write books. Wikipedia notes that Helen was worshipped as a goddess in Laconia and on Rhodes, and that some scholars connect her name to Hellen, the word for “Greek”.
Gift ideas that suit a Helen
- A diary, obviously. Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones proved a diary can be the best company there is.
- For a classics fan. A nod to Helen of Troy and the story behind her name.
- For someone starting something new. Her name may mean “torch”. Fitting for a new job, course or adventure.
- Mother’s Day. A thoughtful gift for a mom or grandmother called Helen.
How Helen can use it
Any Helen, of any age. The 6" x 9" size is roomy enough for proper writing and small enough for a handbag or school bag. With 160 plain lined pages there’s no fixed layout, so it can be a diary, a gratitude journal, a study notebook, a recipe book or a home for to-do lists. Notebooks tend to multiply in drawers, but one with her name on the front is instantly hers.
The little things that make it hers
There’s something about seeing your own name in print. It makes a notebook feel like it belongs to you, which is a good reason to fill it. It also means Helen can pick hers out of a pile in a second, at school, at work or on the kitchen counter.
Frequently asked questions
How big is Helen’s Notebook? About the size of a trade paperback book: 6 x 9 inches (15.2 x 22.9 cm), 160 lined pages.
Where do I buy it? It’s sold on Amazon in the US, Australia and the UK. Amazon prints and ships each copy and handles delivery and returns.
Do you have other names? Yes, the same apple blossom design comes in hundreds of girls’ names. Start at all name notebooks or our personalized name notebooks guide.
Get Helen's Notebook on Amazon
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Helen's Notebook is published by Black Stag Publishing.