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Home › Baby Names Directory › Hela

Hela

♀ Girl

Pronounced HEH-lah /ˈhɛ.lɑː/Medium

Meaning: From Hel/Hela, the Norse goddess who rules the realm of the dead, her name tied to the concealed underworld; now widely known through Marvel's Hela. A striking mythological name; we note the pop-culture link.Low

In 30 seconds: A bold mythic name: Hela is the Norse goddess of the underworld — now also a Marvel figure (said 'HEH-lah'). Striking and rare.
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Origin MediumNorse
MeaningFrom Hel/Hela, the Norse goddess who rules the realm of the dead, her name tied to the concealed underworld; now widely known through Marvel's Hela. A striking mythological name; we note the pop-culture link.
U.S. rank (2024)#12607 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births7 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2018
Total births (all-time)≈ 94

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201819902024

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Hela comes from Hel, the Norse goddess of the underworld, her name linked to the concealed realm of the dead. Modern audiences also meet her through Marvel, which we note. It reads as a bold mythic pick, rare in the U.S. (said 'HEH-lah').

In the U.S. it appears rarely for girls. Rare, mythic, and striking.

Did you know? Hela (Hel) is the Norse goddess who rules the land of the dead — her name tied to the hidden underworld — and she's now widely recognized as a Marvel character, which we note (said 'HEH-lah').
Overall data confidence 50%
References — Hela — Norse goddess Hel of the underworld; Marvel link noted

Variations

HelHellaHel a

Nicknames

LalaHeli

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Hela…

Freya— a like Norse goddess name
Astrid— a like strong Norse girls' name
Idunn— a like mythic Norse pick
Eir— a like short Norse goddess name

Explore names like Hela

By thememythologyboldpop-culturenorse
By meaningGod / Divine

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Hela mean?

Hela is from Hel, the Norse goddess of the underworld, her name tied to the hidden realm of the dead; she's also a Marvel figure, which we note.

How do you pronounce Hela?

It's said HEH-lah /ˈhɛ.lɑː/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Hela a boy or girl name?

Hela is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Hela?

Hela is a rare name for girls in the U.S.

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