Is Helene a short name for Magdalena

[ParibasWest]

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Hello everyone,
I have a question about names. I found an ancestor born 1867 with the given name Magdalena Anna and she used the name Helena/Helene/Helen.

Going further back I have another ancestor born Magdalena but I am searching for Helene Catharine and I cannot find any records. Could this situation be the just like the other one?

I would appreciate any opinion!
Thank you, Gloria

[Anna Sara Weingart]

Yes it is.
Here are examples for Helena = Magdalena:

http://forum.ahnenforschung.net/showthread.php?t=19306

Best regards

[ParibasWest]

Thank you very much!
Regards, Gloria

[Christian40489]

Sorry, but I have to disagree with Anna Sara. Of course, mix-ups of the given names Helene and Magdalene cannot be excluded. However, both names have two different meanings and originate from two different languages.

Helene (or Helena) means "the elevated". Origin: Greek, (after Hellen, the proginator of Hellas - the greek Name for Greece)

Magadalene (or Maagdalena) means the girl/woman from Magdala (an ancient city at the Sea of Galilee). Origin: Hebrew.

Most likely the unquestioned mix-ups of both names result from their short-forms, in both cases Lene or Lena.

Cheers,
Christian

[ParibasWest]

Christian,
My opinion is that some women wanted a chic name and dropped the Magdalena and used Helena instead. The question: is this name adaptation common in Germany. The first time I came across this change was my father's aunt (born in Germany died in the USA in 1934). I am researching a name I cannot find records for that person but it is for some one born around 1805. I am still uncertain if the name Helen is a birth name for her. I will continue my search.

Thank you for your information!
Regards, Gloria

[Christian40489]

Hi Gloria,
as I wrote in my earlier note, short name for Helena and Magdalena is the same: Lena. This might lead to some confusion. But a name adaptation (Helena instead of Magdalena) is not at all common in Germany, neither in the 19th nor in early 20th century. Since mid of 20th century both names are not at all popular anymore. Of course, throughout all era people have been called /have called themselves with other names than their given names. In addition, short and nick names have always been popular. However, these rarely resulted in official name changes in baptizing registers or in birth registers at the bureaus of vital statistics (first introduced in some parts of Germany already in 1798, nationwide only in 1874). In other words: formal documents such as marriage acts, acts of decease, etc.) should contain the true given name(s) of an individual. In preparation of a marriage the groom and the bride had to present their baptizing / birth certificate to the priest and/or the civil servant. Deceases had to be witnessed by two people who had to state name, age, names of next relatives etc. of the defunct to ensure proper identification.
To find the person, you are looking for in the registers, you got to know the name, ideally the names of the parents, place of birth/baptizing and a rough idea about the relevant time frame. Otherwise it will hardly be possible to find waterproof evidence that an individual is truly the researched person. If you want you can send me relevant information of the person you are looking for by PN. I will then see what I can find for you.
Regards
Christian