Selena Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: suh-LEE-nah //səˈliː.nə//
Origin: Greek; Latin; Spanish
Meaning: Greek: moon; Latin: heavenly; Spanish: serene
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Selena has its roots in the ancient Greek word 'selēnē', which translates to 'moon'. This etymology is linked to the Greek goddess Selene, who personified the moon and was often depicted as a beautiful woman driving a chariot across the night sky.
The name entered the Latin language as 'Selena', maintaining its association with lunar imagery. The transition into English occurred through the influence of Latin and later through the adoption of Greek mythology into the broader cultural narratives of Europe during the Renaissance period, when classical names gained renewed interest.
Historically, the name Selena has been associated with various figures in literature and mythology. In the context of Christianity, the name has been linked to saints, although it is less common than other names derived from biblical sources.
The name appears in various forms across cultures, including 'Selina', which has been used in English literature since at least the 18th century. Notably, the name was popularized in part by literary works, such as the character Selina in the 19th-century novel 'The Count of Monte Cristo' by Alexandre Dumas, which contributed to its recognition in Western literature.
Culturally, the name Selena carries connotations of beauty, femininity, and mystery, often associated with the moon's serene and enchanting qualities. This symbolic resonance has allowed the name to endure across generations, appealing to various artistic and literary expressions.
Additionally, the name has been used in various languages and cultures, reflecting its adaptability and the universal allure of its lunar connections. The diminutive 'Sel' has also been used in some contexts, though the full form remains the most recognized.
Famous people named Selena
In this section, you will find notable people named Selena. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Selena who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Selena who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Selena Gomez is a singer and actress best known for Wizards of Waverly Place, Come & Get It, and Only Murders in the Building.
Selena Quintanilla is a singer and songwriter best known for Amor Prohibido, Dreaming of You, and Baila Esta Cumbia.
Fictional characters named Selena
The following list of fictional characters named Selena is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Selena Kyle is a fictional character from the DC Comics universe. She is also known as Catwoman, a skilled thief and occasional ally and love interest of Batman.
Selena Gomez is a fictional character from the TV series Wizards of Waverly Place. She is a teenage wizard navigating the challenges of adolescence and magical training.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Selena, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Selena. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Selena was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Selena has ranked as high as #185 nationally, which occurred in 1995, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois.
In the past 5 years the name Selena has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Selena is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Selena was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Selena (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 256 | |
| TX | 164 | |
| FL | 89 | |
| NY | 50 | |
| IL | 50 | |
| AZ | 46 | |
| NJ | 41 | |
| NC | 37 | |
| WA | 33 | |
| PA | 33 | |
| VA | 30 | |
| OH | 29 | |
| CO | 27 | |
| GA | 27 | |
| MD | 22 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Selena.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,289 |
| 2023 | 1,306 |
| 2022 | 1,279 |
| 2021 | 1,452 |
| 2020 | 1,242 |
| 2019 | 1,334 |
| 2018 | 1,316 |
| 2017 | 1,305 |
| 2016 | 1,125 |
| 2015 | 1,014 |
| 2014 | 960 |
| 2013 | 943 |
| 2012 | 1,052 |
| 2011 | 986 |
| 2010 | 983 |
| 2009 | 1,019 |
| 2008 | 957 |
| 2007 | 1,059 |
| 2006 | 1,164 |
| 2005 | 1,379 |
| 2004 | 1,242 |
| 2003 | 1,179 |
| 2002 | 1,288 |
| 2001 | 1,485 |
| 2000 | 1,645 |
| 1999 | 2,118 |
| 1998 | 2,278 |
| 1997 | 1,998 |
| 1996 | 2,291 |
| 1995 | 3,825 |
| 1994 | 918 |
| 1993 | 663 |
| 1992 | 375 |
| 1991 | 313 |
| 1990 | 263 |
| 1989 | 281 |
| 1988 | 212 |
| 1987 | 246 |
| 1986 | 282 |
| 1985 | 310 |
| 1984 | 368 |
| 1983 | 367 |
| 1982 | 391 |
| 1981 | 454 |
| 1980 | 451 |
| 1979 | 522 |
| 1978 | 597 |
| 1977 | 791 |
| 1976 | 464 |
| 1975 | 344 |
| 1974 | 446 |
| 1973 | 589 |
| 1972 | 357 |
| 1971 | 435 |
| 1970 | 297 |
| 1969 | 271 |
| 1968 | 271 |
| 1967 | 294 |
| 1966 | 298 |
| 1965 | 272 |
| 1964 | 226 |
| 1963 | 206 |
| 1962 | 241 |
| 1961 | 257 |
| 1960 | 198 |
| 1959 | 214 |
| 1958 | 212 |
| 1957 | 58 |
| 1956 | 53 |
| 1955 | 59 |
| 1954 | 85 |
| 1953 | 67 |
| 1952 | 90 |
| 1951 | 69 |
| 1950 | 58 |
| 1949 | 61 |
| 1948 | 57 |
| 1947 | 50 |
| 1946 | 41 |
| 1945 | 50 |
| 1944 | 64 |
| 1943 | 42 |
| 1942 | 41 |
| 1941 | 27 |
| 1940 | 22 |
| 1939 | 40 |
| 1938 | 35 |
| 1937 | 35 |
| 1936 | 25 |
| 1935 | 29 |
| 1934 | 25 |
| 1933 | 38 |
| 1932 | 31 |
| 1931 | 25 |
| 1930 | 44 |
| 1929 | 46 |
| 1928 | 40 |
| 1927 | 36 |
| 1926 | 45 |
| 1925 | 43 |
| 1924 | 37 |
| 1923 | 44 |
| 1922 | 43 |
| 1921 | 44 |
| 1920 | 46 |
| 1919 | 41 |
| 1918 | 32 |
| 1917 | 35 |
| 1916 | 34 |
| 1915 | 40 |
| 1914 | 37 |
| 1913 | 27 |
| 1912 | 28 |
| 1911 | 23 |
| 1910 | 21 |
| 1909 | 21 |
| 1908 | 19 |
| 1907 | 14 |
| 1906 | 16 |
| 1905 | 15 |
| 1904 | 17 |
| 1903 | 23 |
| 1902 | 17 |
| 1901 | 17 |
| 1900 | 20 |
| 1899 | 11 |
| 1898 | 21 |
| 1897 | 16 |
| 1896 | 13 |
| 1895 | 11 |
| 1894 | 13 |
| 1893 | 16 |
| 1892 | 11 |
| 1891 | 17 |
| 1890 | 14 |
| 1889 | 11 |
| 1888 | 18 |
| 1887 | 14 |
| 1886 | 10 |
| 1885 | 15 |
| 1884 | 11 |
| 1883 | 6 |
| 1882 | 5 |
| 1881 | 7 |
| 1880 | 5 |