Dryer and Kappers (1935 p. 124) established the name Homo (Africanthropus) helmei for the Florisbad cranium. Dryer and Kappers (1935) provided measurements and anatomical descripition of the cranium and its endocast with comparisons made to Homo sapiens, Neanderthals, Pithecanthropus, Sinanthropus and "the Rhodesian".
Campbell (1965) listed the taxon as available and valid. Szalay and Delson (1979) listed the nomen as a junior synonym of Homo sapiens sapiens. Groves (1989) included the name as an available junior synonym of Homo sapiens heidelbergensis. Kuman et al. (1999) advocated for retaining the name for lack of a better in their discussion of the paleoenvironments and archaeology at Florisbad. McBrearty and Brooks (2000) invoked Homo helmei in their discussion on the origins of modern human behavior.
Rightmire (1978) argued for a close association between Florisbad and Kabwe. Any taxon that combines these specimens in the hypodigm to the exclusion of Mauer and European Homo heidelbergensis will have Homo rhodesiensis and Homo helmei as available names. If Homo rhodesiensis is shunned as has been suggested (Roksandic et al. 2022) then Homo helmei has priority over other names among African Middle and lower Upper Pleistocene fossils.
