,,Helen is the English form of the Greek; (Helene), probably derived from Greek (helene) “torch” or “corposant”, or possibly related to (selene) “moon”. [1]
If it has an Indo-European etymology, it is possibly a suffixed form of a root *wel- “to turn, roll”[2] or “to cover, enclose” (compare Varuna, Veles), or of *sel- “to flow, run”. The latter possibility would allow comparison to Vedic Sara, who is abducted in RV 10.17.2, a parallel suggestive of a Proto-Indo-European abduction myth." (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen)Annars er nafnið Atli talið renna af nafninu Attila (Atli Húnakonungur.)
En líklegari skýring er þó að norræna gerðin af þessu nafni sé runnin af lýsingarorðinu ,,Ötull" sem merkir ágengur, grimmmur.