What does Athena mean?
Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom and war; the name’s ultimate meaning is uncertain.
What does Selena mean?
From the Greek Selene, the goddess of the moon.
Athena vs Selena
Which is more popular?
Athena is more popular than Selena today: about 2,477 US babies were given the name Athena in 2025, compared with 1,170 named Selena.
| Athena | Selena | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Goddess of wisdom | Moon |
| Origin | Greek | Greek |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | uh-THEE-nah | suh-LEE-nuh |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1902 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2022 (3,029) | 1995 (3,825) |
| In 2025 | 2,477 | 1,170 |
| Trend | Rising | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Athena
Selena
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Athena | Selena |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 16,536 | 7,747 |
| 2010s | 18,303 | 11,028 |
| 2000s | 6,169 | 12,417 |
| 1990s | 3,191 | 15,043 |
| 1980s | 2,964 | 3,362 |
| 1970s | 2,588 | 4,843 |
| 1960s | 1,517 | 2,535 |
| 1950s | 786 | 964 |
| 1940s | 203 | 455 |
| 1930s | 245 | 327 |
| 1920s | 416 | 424 |
| 1910s | 183 | 318 |
| 1900s | 17 | 179 |
| 1890s | 0 | 143 |
| 1880s | 0 | 102 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Athena or Selena more popular?
Athena is more popular than Selena today: about 2,477 US babies were given the name Athena in 2025, compared with 1,170 named Selena.
What is the difference between Athena and Selena?
Athena means Goddess of wisdom (Greek origin), while Selena means Moon (Greek origin).
Which name is older, Athena or Selena?
In US records, Athena first appears in 1902 and Selena in 1880, so Selena has the longer recorded history.