Persephone

per·SEF·ə·nee · Greek · 4 syllables

Persephone is distinctive.

83/100

Strong Practical Fit

Balanced across pronunciation, everyday use, lifetime fit and international use.

Name Profile

Pronunciation & Spelling
Learnable with light exposure
A well-established name with a clear, learnable pronunciation: per-SEF-ə-nee. Commonly mispronounced as per-se-FONE.
73/100
Everyday Use
Low risk
95/100
Growing Up
Strong lifetime fit
Works comfortably across child and adult settings.
82/100
International Use
Broad international fit
Works cleanly across the assessed languages and writing systems.
85/100

NAME DETAILS

DOCUMENTED USE: Feminine

ORIGIN & HISTORY

About the name

The etymology of Persephone is genuinely obscure and disputed among classical scholars, with the leading hypothesis (Wachter's "thresher of grain") competing against older folk etymologies and no consensus reached. This profile deliberately does not present any single literal meaning as established fact.

Περσεφόνη (Ancient Greek). Greek.

POPULARITY

Persephone over time

United States

#735RANK

Rank #735 gives national context, not a classroom forecast.

Uncommon in current U.S. usage. Ranked #735 in the U.S., 2025.

SourceU.S. Social Security Administration · 2025 release

Pronunciation & Forms

SAY IT

per·SEF·ə·nee

STRESS ON THE SECOND SYLLABLE

OTHER-LANGUAGE FORMS

PersefoniModern Greek

PRACTICAL LIFE

How This Name Lives

AT SCHOOL & DAY TO DAY

Four syllables, which is long and less phonetically simple for a young child than most common US given names; the stress pattern (per-SEF-uh-nee) is not obvious from the spelling alone.

INTO ADULTHOOD

Carries significant mythological weight and a distinctive, formal register for an adult woman; its length and the underworld-queen association may read as dramatic or unusual in everyday US contexts, though it is well recognized as a figure from Greek mythology.

Cultural Footprint

Persephone was worshipped alongside her mother Demeter in the Eleusinian Mysteries at Eleusis near Athens, one of the most significant religious cult traditions of ancient Greece.

EDITORIAL SYNTHESIS

The Decision

Persephone is a name that holds up in everyday use. Surname-dependent compatibility remains unassessed until a surname is added.

STRENGTH

Uses standard characters that systems widely handle cleanly. Fits cleanly on every form, badge, and signature line.

CONSIDERATION

Pronounced "per-SEF-oh-nee" — may invite a pronunciation check on first meeting.

BEST FIT

Everyday Use is the strongest-scoring part of this name — no obvious nickname traps, rhymes, or initial issues detected.

FULL-NAME CHECK