Girl nameCurrently #245 in the USSteady
Selena
suh-LEE-nuh//səˈliːnə//
3 syllablesPeak year: 19956 lettersStarts with S
Meaning & origin
Moon
Selena comes from Selene, the Greek goddess who personified the moon, driving her chariot across the night sky. Its gentle, celestial meaning gained particular resonance in the US through beloved Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla.
Selena's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Selena |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 5 |
| 1881 | 7 |
| 1882 | 5 |
| 1883 | 6 |
| 1884 | 11 |
| 1885 | 15 |
| 1886 | 10 |
| 1887 | 14 |
| 1888 | 18 |
| 1889 | 11 |
| 1890 | 14 |
| 1891 | 17 |
| 1892 | 11 |
| 1893 | 16 |
| 1894 | 13 |
| 1895 | 11 |
| 1896 | 13 |
| 1897 | 16 |
| 1898 | 21 |
| 1899 | 11 |
| 1900 | 20 |
| 1901 | 17 |
| 1902 | 17 |
| 1903 | 23 |
| 1904 | 17 |
| 1905 | 15 |
| 1906 | 16 |
| 1907 | 14 |
| 1908 | 19 |
| 1909 | 21 |
| 1910 | 21 |
| 1911 | 23 |
| 1912 | 28 |
| 1913 | 27 |
| 1914 | 37 |
| 1915 | 40 |
| 1916 | 34 |
| 1917 | 35 |
| 1918 | 32 |
| 1919 | 41 |
| 1920 | 46 |
| 1921 | 44 |
| 1922 | 43 |
| 1923 | 44 |
| 1924 | 37 |
| 1925 | 43 |
| 1926 | 45 |
| 1927 | 36 |
| 1928 | 40 |
| 1929 | 46 |
| 1930 | 44 |
| 1931 | 25 |
| 1932 | 31 |
| 1933 | 38 |
| 1934 | 25 |
| 1935 | 29 |
| 1936 | 25 |
| 1937 | 35 |
| 1938 | 35 |
| 1939 | 40 |
| 1940 | 22 |
| 1941 | 27 |
| 1942 | 41 |
| 1943 | 42 |
| 1944 | 64 |
| 1945 | 50 |
| 1946 | 41 |
| 1947 | 50 |
| 1948 | 57 |
| 1949 | 61 |
| 1950 | 58 |
| 1951 | 69 |
| 1952 | 90 |
| 1953 | 67 |
| 1954 | 85 |
| 1955 | 59 |
| 1956 | 53 |
| 1957 | 58 |
| 1958 | 212 |
| 1959 | 214 |
| 1960 | 198 |
| 1961 | 257 |
| 1962 | 241 |
| 1963 | 206 |
| 1964 | 226 |
| 1965 | 272 |
| 1966 | 298 |
| 1967 | 294 |
| 1968 | 271 |
| 1969 | 271 |
| 1970 | 297 |
| 1971 | 435 |
| 1972 | 357 |
| 1973 | 589 |
| 1974 | 446 |
| 1975 | 344 |
| 1976 | 464 |
| 1977 | 791 |
| 1978 | 597 |
| 1979 | 522 |
| 1980 | 451 |
| 1981 | 454 |
| 1982 | 391 |
| 1983 | 367 |
| 1984 | 368 |
| 1985 | 310 |
| 1986 | 282 |
| 1987 | 246 |
| 1988 | 212 |
| 1989 | 281 |
| 1990 | 263 |
| 1991 | 313 |
| 1992 | 375 |
| 1993 | 663 |
| 1994 | 918 |
| 1995 | 3,840 |
| 1996 | 2,296 |
| 1997 | 2,007 |
| 1998 | 2,278 |
| 1999 | 2,123 |
| 2000 | 1,651 |
| 2001 | 1,491 |
| 2002 | 1,293 |
| 2003 | 1,179 |
| 2004 | 1,248 |
| 2005 | 1,379 |
| 2006 | 1,164 |
| 2007 | 1,059 |
| 2008 | 957 |
| 2009 | 1,019 |
| 2010 | 983 |
| 2011 | 986 |
| 2012 | 1,052 |
| 2013 | 943 |
| 2014 | 960 |
| 2015 | 1,014 |
| 2016 | 1,125 |
| 2017 | 1,305 |
| 2018 | 1,316 |
| 2019 | 1,334 |
| 2020 | 1,242 |
| 2021 | 1,452 |
| 2022 | 1,279 |
| 2023 | 1,306 |
| 2024 | 1,289 |
Selena through the decades
- Selena peaked in 1995, when 3,840 babies were named Selena in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Selena has risen 21% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Selena currently ranks #245 in the US and is holding steady.
Nicknames
Lena
Variants & spellings
SeleneSalena
Famous people named Selena
- Selena Quintanilla — singer