How to say it
se · LE · na
/səˈliː.nə/
Feminine
Selena
Moon
What it means
A Latinized form of the Greek Selene, goddess of the moon (selēnē, 'moon').
Selena comes from Selene, the Greek goddess who personified the moon, from selēnē, 'moon.' The smoother Latin and Spanish spelling carried the name into the modern world, where two stars cemented it: Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla, whose 1995 death made her an icon, and actress and singer Selena Gomez. It keeps company with the other celestial names, Luna and Aurora. Lena and Sel are easy shorts.
Popularity over time
peaked at #91 in 1995, currently #268 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
Strongly tied to Selena Quintanilla and Selena Gomez; both keep it feeling current rather than mythological.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Selena Quintanilla Tejano music icon, the 'Queen of Tejano'
- Selena Gomez American singer, actress, and producer
- Selene Greek goddess of the moon, the name's root
Spelling variants
- Selene
- Selina
- Celena
Names with the same feeling
See Selena from another angle
By meaning
By style