Baby Name of the Day: Serena

The baby name Serena makes a tranquil, romantic choice for a daughter, worn by one of the world’s most accomplished athletes.

Thanks to Ellen for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

WHAT DOES THE NAME SERENA MEAN?

Serena comes from the Latin word serenus, meaning clear or tranquil. It’s also the source of our words serene and serenity. 

The latter became a modern virtue name, a Top 100 favorite for more than half of the 21st century, though Serenity is fading now. 

Serena, on the other hand, has a long history as a given name:

• There’s an early Saint Serena. Or maybe there was. Legend told of the Emperor Diocletian’s first wife, the faithful Christian Serena. He put her aside and she ultimately died a martyr’s death. She no longer appears on the calendar of saints. 
• Circa the year 400, though, there was an aristocratic Serena in Rome, the niece of Emperor Theodosius I. It’s possible she was named for the legendary saint. 
• Edmund Spenser used the name a character in his 1590 epic poem, The Faerie Queen.
• The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources has the name recorded in Spain as early as 1488, and in France during the early 9th century.

SARINA, SIRENA & MORE SOUND ALIKES

Serena sounds something like sirena, or siren – a mythological creature and cousin to the mermaid.

In 2011’s installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, On Stranger Tides, a mermaid captured by Blackbeard answers to Syrena.

Other sound-alikes include Sarina, which could be a respelling. It’s also sometimes a form of Sarah. 

The term serena appears in early medieval Europe, in the Occitan language. It referred to a type of lyric about lovers forced to part as evening ends. There’s also serenade, which comes fro the Italian word serenata, meaning. an evening song, from the phrase “calm sky.” It’s another Serena name meaning that might appeal, even if it’s a bit of a stretch. 

FAMOUS SERENAS: 20th CENTURY ONWARD

Notable women have worn the name over the last century or so, including:

• Dancer Serena Wilson, born in 1933. The daughter of vaudeville performers, her claim to fame was belly dancing. Despite having no Middle Eastern heritage, she studied dance while her musician husband studied the region’s music. They became favorite performers in the 1950s. Wilson also helped change the image of belly dancing from something not quite respectable to a more mainstream form of dance.
• In E.B. White’s 1970 novel, The Trumpet of the Swan, a mute swan called Louis tries to find his voice in order to impress his beloved, another swan named Serena.
• In 1993, David Armstrong-Jones, son of the late Princess Margaret and nephew of the late Queen Elizabeth II, married Serena Stanhope. He’s not often in the public eye, but royal watchers will know him as the former Viscount Linley, now Earl of Snowden. His daughter, Lady Margarita, was one of the young girls who served as bridesmaids as the wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton. While it’s obscure now, it would’ve made headlines in the 1990s. 
• The name has been given to fictional television characters on Bewitched, The Waltons, Law & Order, Sailor Moon, and Gossip Girl – to name just a few. Actress Blake Lively rose to fame as Serena van der Woodsen on Gossip Girl. More recently, Serena Joy Waterford was a major character on long-running Hulu series The Handmaid’s Tale.

SERENA WILLIAMS

But there is one famous bearer of the name that eclipses them all: tennis great Serena Williams.

Born in 1991, the younger sister of fellow tennis player Venus Williams, Serena holds too many accomplishments to list. She was the #1 women’s singles player in the world for 319 weeks, won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, and a fistful of Olympic gold medals, too.

It’s an interesting image, balancing out all that peace and calm with the strength and energy of a world-class athlete. That kind of energy only enhances the name.

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME SERENA?

As of 2024, the baby name Serena ranked #332.

That’s pretty standard. It’s bounced between a high of #209 in the year 2000

In between, it’s bounced from a high of #209 in 2000 to being unranked for most of the 1910s through the 1950s.

Despite this range, Serena could be perfect baby name for parents seeking something timeless. It’s not strongly associated with any single era, but sounds right at home in the 21st century.

TIMELESS CHOICE

Overall, Serena fits in perfectly with current favorites like Olivia and Amelia. It reads as slightly vintage but very current. 

It blends calm and powerful, romantic and enduring elements, all in one nicely under-used name.

What do you think of the baby name Serena?

First published on October 8, 2015, this post was revised on April 28, 2026.