Selene

suh·LEE·nee · Greek · 3 syllables

Selene feels distinctive without creating everyday friction in daily use.

91/100

Strong Practical Fit

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

Name Profile

Pronunciation & Spelling
Effortless
91/100
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

OTHER-LANGUAGE FORMS: Sélène; Selini

ORIGIN & HISTORY

About the name

moon.

Σελήνη (Ancient Greek). moon. Greek. Ancient Greek worship of Selene as an independent deity was comparatively limited even next to her brother Helios; over time she became increasingly identified with other goddesses, especially Artemis and Hecate, rather than sustaining independent cult status. Limited evidence points to an oracle sanctuary near Thalamai in Laconia and altars at various sanctuaries.
Mythological and religious contextThis was the name of the Greek goddess of the moon, a Titan, traditionally the daughter of Titans Hyperion and Theia, and sister to sun god Helios and dawn goddess Eos. Her primary mythological role involved driving a moon chariot across the heavens. She received various consorts across different accounts, including Zeus, Pan, and, most famously, the mortal Endymion. She bore children to different partners, including the goddess Pandia (with Zeus) and fifty daughters (with Endymion), and participated in the Gigantomachy, fighting the Giants alongside her siblings.

POPULARITY

Selene over time

United States

#623RANK

Rank #623 gives national context, not a classroom forecast.

Uncommon in current U.S. usage. Ranked #623 in the U.S., 2025.

SourceU.S. Social Security Administration · 2025 release

Pronunciation & Forms

SAY IT

suh·LEE·nee

STRESS ON THE SECOND SYLLABLE

OTHER-LANGUAGE FORMS

SélèneFR
SeliniEL

PRACTICAL LIFE

How This Name Lives

AT SCHOOL & DAY TO DAY

Gentle and melodic for a young child, three clear syllables, though the accent placement ("suh-LEE-nee" vs. other renderings) can vary among English speakers who are unfamiliar with the name.

INTO ADULTHOOD

A luminous, classically elegant name for an adult woman, carrying formal and mythological weight without feeling dated.

Cultural Footprint

A classical Greek mythological name used today primarily as a modern given name in English-, Italian-, and other European-language contexts, drawing on its association with the moon and the Greek goddess.

TRACEABLE ORIGIN

The Japanese lunar spacecraft SELENEnicknamed Kaguya

Names around it

Selena

EDITORIAL SYNTHESIS

The Decision

Selene is spelled without unusual letter patterns, and it holds up in everyday use. Surname-dependent compatibility remains unassessed until a surname is added.

STRENGTH

English speakers will most likely pronounce it correctly on the first try. Uses standard characters that systems widely handle cleanly.

BEST FIT

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

FULL-NAME CHECK