Declining since 1994, #1,272 for girls today.
Popularity of Selina since 1880
Babies named Selina per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 110 |
| 1890s | 185 |
| 1900s | 173 |
| 1910s | 281 |
| 1920s | 282 |
| 1930s | 161 |
| 1940s | 191 |
| 1950s | 644 |
| 1960s | 2,148 |
| 1970s | 2,272 |
| 1980s | 2,659 |
| 1990s | 4,175 |
| 2000s | 2,692 |
| 2010s | 2,235 |
| 2020s | 1,017 |
Meaning & origin
Selina has been in use since at least 1880, with a notable peak in popularity in 1995. Since 1994, its usage has been on a consistent decline, though it remains a familiar choice. In 2025, it ranked 1272nd overall, with approximately 1 in 9,132 newborn girls receiving the name. The name has seen the highest relative usage in Washington, Massachusetts, and Illinois.
Selina derives from the Greek name Selene, the goddess of the moon. The name has been used in English-speaking countries since the 17th century, often as a variant of Celina or as a direct borrowing from Greek mythology. It gained wider usage in the 20th century, particularly in the United States.
Where Selina is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Selina” around the world
Where Selina lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
25
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Lina, Selly, Ina
Sibling names for Selina
Names that share Selina's style, for a brother or sister.
Names like Selina
Names whose popularity has moved with Selina's over the last 50 years.
