The baby name Selena blends ancient myth with current style to become a modern classic.
Thanks to Bea for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
WHAT DOES THE NAME SELENA MEAN?
The meaning of the name Selena is straightforward. It comes from the Greek name Selene, meaning moon.
Selene was a Titan, an early Greek goddess of the moon. Think of them as the gods 1.0. Her siblings included Helios, the sun god, and Eos, goddess of the dawn.
Zeus leads the next generation, Mount Olympus 2.0. He banishes the Titans. His daughter, Artemis, becomes the main moon goddess instead. She’s sometimes referred to by the name Selene, too.
There’s also Celine. It’s a French feminine form of Latin family names derived from caelum, meaning heaven.
Either way, that puts the baby name Selena on the same list of night sky names as favorites like Luna and Stella.
SELENA QUINTANILLA
For many, this name brings to mind one particular figure: Mexican singer Selena. Called the “Queen of Tejano Music,” she remains one of the most influential Latin artists of all time.
Tejano music blends American and Mexican influences, sort of like Tex-Mex cuisine. Originally dominated by men, Selena made the style her own. In 1987, she won her first Tejano Music Award for Female Vocalist of the Year, an award she would win nine more times.
Her self-titled album debuted in 1987, followed by 1992’s Entre a Mi Mundo, including one of her biggest hits, “Como la Flor.” By 1994, she’d won her first Grammy and continued to push Tejano music into the mainstream.
Tragically, Selena lost her life when a fan and former employee shot her in March of 1995.
She remains one of the best-selling female artists in Latin music today.
A 1997 biopic titled Selena launched the career of aspiring singer Jennifer Lopez. The story was re-told in a Netflix series in 2020, this time starring actress Christian Serratos.
MORE FAMOUS FIGURES
Besides the singer, plenty of other famous figures have answered to the name.
- Actress and singer Selena Gomez might be the most famous right now. She’s appeared on screen with everyone from Barney the purple dinosaur on Barney & Friends to legendary actors Martin Short and Steve Martin on Only Murders in the Building. Her musical career has been every bit as successful. Texas-born Gomez was named for the Tejano singer.
- Debuting in print in 1940, DC Comics gave us Catwoman – or sometimes just “the Cat.” She’s a burglar and a bad guy, usually facing off against Batman. Most of the time, her name is Selina Kyle. Actresses from Eartha Kitt to Halle Berry to Zoë Kravitz have donned her iconic ears to play the part. In 2010s television series Gotham, Carmen Bicondova plays Selina “Cat” Kyle as more ambiguous, eventually allying with – and falling for – the caped crusader.
- Midcentury sensation Peyton Place included a character named Selena Cross. Hope Lange’s performance as Selena in the 1958 movie earned her a nomination for Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. While much of her storyline was deemed too risque for television, the name Selena soared alongside character names like Allison and Elliot as the series became a cultural sensation.
- 2002 post-apocalyptic horror film 28 Days Later gave us the story of survivor named Selena, played by Naomie Harris. The series has continued to produce sequels, but Selena’s story (mostly) ends with the original film.
HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME SELENA?
The baby name Selena routinely appeared in the US Top 1000 during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Popularity waned from the 1910s into the 1950s.
But by the middle of the 20th century, the name made a comeback. In 1958, following Hope Lange’s Oscar-nominated performance in the movie version of Peyton Place, Selena rocketed back into the rankings at #680.
It would get another boost from early 1970s television series Return to Peyton Place, which did feature Selena Cross. It reached a new high of #363 in 1973.
By the early 1990s, the name rose again with the career success of the singer. Selena’s tragic death in early 1995 sent the name briefly into the US Top 100, at an all-time peak of #91.
Since then, the name has mellowed. It ranks a respectable #268 as of 2025. Neither fading nor trending, the baby name Selena has become a modern traditional favorite.
As for alternate spellings, Celina comes in at #829, possibly lifted by similar sounding choices like Celeste and Cecilia. As of 2025, Selina does not rank in the US Top 1000.
MODERN TRADITIONAL FAVORITE
With roots in Greek myth, ties to the night sky, and a solid Spanish-English crossover history to rival Isabella, Camila, or Sofia, the baby name Selena has become a just-under-the-radar choice. It’s reliably on-trend, from the 1960s to this moment. And that makes it incredibly versatile.
Selena fit with Christina and Cynthia during the 1970s; Jessica and Alexandra in the 1990s; and Eliana and Sienna now.
If you’re looking for a name that reads current but feels closer to a modern classic? Selena could be the perfect choice.
What do you think of the baby name Selena?
