Helle was the daughter of Athamas and
Nephele. She was the girl who with her brother Phrixos fled on the golden ram from Athamas and her stepmother Ino, but fell off its back into the sea - which from then on was called the Hellespont ('sea of Helle'). Her name may well mean 'bright', from hele, 'bright', 'hot' (as with Helen). But hellos means 'young deer', 'fawn', and this could also be an apt name for her.
