Selena is a feminine given name of Latin origin, derived from the moon goddess Selene in Greek mythology. The name means "moon" or "goddess of the moon." It has been used since ancient times and was popularized by the Roman poet Ovid in his work "Metamorphoses."
In Roman mythology, Selene was the sister of Helios, the sun god, and Eos, the goddess of dawn. She was known for her silver chariot, which she rode across the night sky to illuminate the world with her soft glow. The full moon is often referred to as the "Selena Moon" in honor of this celestial deity.
The name Selena has been used throughout history, but it gained popularity during the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly in Spanish-speaking countries. It was also popularized by famous figures such as Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, a renowned Mexican-American singer known simply as "Selena," whose career spanned from the late 1980s until her untimely death in 1995.
Today, Selena remains a popular choice for parents looking for a name with a strong, celestial connection. Its association with the moon gives it a mystical and enchanting quality, while its Latin roots provide a sense of history and tradition. Overall, Selena is a beautiful and meaningful name that continues to captivate people around the world.
The name Selena has been a popular choice for parents in the United States over the past century and a half, with its popularity fluctuating over time. Between 1880 and 1924, there were fewer than 50 births per year on average. However, starting in the mid-1920s, the number of annual births began to increase significantly.
In the 1930s and 1940s, the popularity of the name Selena remained relatively stable, with around 25 to 40 births per year. But after World War II, there was a notable rise in its popularity. In the 1950s, an average of around 60 babies were named Selena each year.
The real boom in the popularity of the name Selena came in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Between 1971 and 1984, the number of annual births for the name Selena jumped from 435 to a peak of 663 in 1993. This marked an increase of over 50% compared to the previous decade.
The name Selena remained popular throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, with around 1,000 babies named Selena each year. However, its popularity began to decline in the late 2000s, falling below 1,000 births per year in 2008 for the first time since 1994.
Despite this recent decrease in popularity, Selena remains a well-established name among parents in the United States. Between 2016 and 2023, an average of around 1,250 babies were named Selena each year. This demonstrates that while its popularity may have fluctuated over time, Selena has still managed to maintain a strong presence as a popular name choice for parents in the United States.