Middle English word helen comes from Proto-Indo-European *kei-, Proto-Indo-European *kóh₂ilus, Proto-Indo-European *kóylos, Proto-Indo-European *koyl-, Proto-Indo-European *kóh₂ilos, and later Proto-Germanic *hailaz (Entire, complete. Healthy, sound. Whole, unbroken, intact.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *kei- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *kóh₂ilus | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *kóylos | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *koyl- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *kóh₂ilos | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *koil- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *hailaz | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | Entire, complete. Healthy, sound. Whole, unbroken, intact. |
| *hailijaną | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | To heal, to make healthy. To make whole, to mend. |
| hǣlan | Old English (ang) | |
| helen | Middle English (enm) | To heal. |