Famous bearer: Helga Hufflepuff, founder of the house of Hufflepuff in the Harry Potter books. She was said to be very kind and "from vally broad".

Helga Pataki was also a character in the tv show on Nickelodeon 'Hey Arnold'.

Listen to the German pronunciation of Helga here:
http://www.nordicnames.de/Aussprache.html

I hate the name Helga. It sounds like some beefy girl who takes your lunch money at school. I don't like this name. (And to all the Helgas out there, you may have not done this, but this is my opinion.) Instead of naming your girl Helga, name her something different. I would try Karey.

Gah, this name is so ugly despite being short and relatively simple. The sound of it is unpleasant, and it makes me think of some kooky, fat woman.

This is the UGLIEST name I have ever heard! It reminds me of an old fat lunch lady with a unibrow and a big hairy mole. I would never name my daughter this.

I never thought this name was pretty, until I read the story "The Marsh King's Daughter." Helga is described as a beautiful maiden with long blonde hair.

Ewwwww. This name makes me want to puke! For the people who say this is a good name, sorry, but not in this day and age! You have GOT to be kidding me. :P

Helga is a character in the BBC Sitcom 'Allo 'Allo.

I would quite like it if this name was used in this day and age, thank you very much. :)

My mother's name is Helga and it is surprising to hear the stereotypes. She is from Austria and is very beautiful. I understand some people are naive but to suggest the name Karey instead of Helga doesn't make much sense. Karey is a very generic name that does not compare to Helga. I believe Helga is a beautiful European sounding name and is very unique, as unique and beautiful as the people whom carry this name.

Sandra Bullock's mother's name was Helga.

Your first impression of the name Helga may be that it is ugly, but that is really quite irrelevant because as soon as you met someone pretty or nice with this name you'd probably change your mind. And if someone used it on their daughter I doubt you'd still think of the name that way.

Bigg strongg Russiann womann... Helga!

It's strange how the most English native speakers sense the name Helga. As German native speaker I would never think of a butch and ugly woman. Helga sounds to my ears like a rather frail woman in her 60s. The name is hardly used today and the most people who carry this name are born before 1950. I don't think that the most modern mothers would use it for their children today.

Doy. Doy. Move it, bucko. Sorry, but all I can think of is Helga Pataki. I wouldn't use it.

Well, I disagree with you, because this is my FAVOURITE name. It is strange and pretty, and I will definitely consider this if I have a daughter. Unfortunately I have met only one Helga (she was about 8 years old), but I've always loved it. In Hungary we use this name with the same form (Olga and Elga, too), and we pronounce it HEL-gah.

I'm very surprised by all the negativity people see in this name, especially with its association with that Pataki girl from Hey Arnold. I actually think this is a good name for a woman.

Personally I like it. It makes me think of a blonde German farm girl with braids.

I prefer Elga. The first syllable of Helga reminds me of the word hell.

Excuse me! What is it with all the ugly dinner lady stereotypes? My name is Helga Mayr and I think it is very beautiful. I'm half Austrian so that is where my first and last name both come from! I have only been bullied once when someone called me Hell-Girl, but since then no one has ever made fun of me. My full name is Helga Dorcas ---- (no comments) and it is a lovely name.
P.S. My sister is called Ermimtrude - Emmi for short.

Whenever I see this name I think of Helga Pataki and I think of a girl with a long unibrow. Please don't name your child this if you don't want them to be teased for life.

It is also a Hungarian name. Pronunced: HEL-gaw. [noted -ed]

The name is also rather common in Iceland. [noted -ed]

I think Helga is a nice name (no offense to other's opinions!), it reminds me of a joyous, proud to be alive woman, (and a good grandma or aunty to children!)