What does Delia mean?
Delia means “of Delos,” the island birthplace of Artemis.
What does Persephone mean?
Persephone is the Greek goddess of spring and the underworld; the meaning of her name is debated.
Delia vs Persephone
Which is more popular?
Persephone is more popular than Delia today: about 372 US babies were given the name Persephone in 2025, compared with 135 named Delia.
| Delia | Persephone | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Of Delos | Of debated meaning |
| Origin | Greek | Greek |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | DEEL-yah | per-SEF-uh-nee |
| Syllables | 2 | 4 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1962 |
| Peak year | 1957 (490) | 2022 (429) |
| In 2025 | 135 | 372 |
| Trend | Declining | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Delia
Persephone
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Delia | Persephone |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 873 | 2,261 |
| 2010s | 1,973 | 1,887 |
| 2000s | 2,346 | 465 |
| 1990s | 2,191 | 141 |
| 1980s | 2,213 | 71 |
| 1970s | 2,976 | 97 |
| 1960s | 3,856 | 38 |
| 1950s | 4,589 | 0 |
| 1940s | 3,213 | 0 |
| 1930s | 2,853 | 0 |
| 1920s | 2,829 | 0 |
| 1910s | 2,360 | 0 |
| 1900s | 1,629 | 0 |
| 1890s | 1,871 | 0 |
| 1880s | 1,546 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Delia or Persephone more popular?
Persephone is more popular than Delia today: about 372 US babies were given the name Persephone in 2025, compared with 135 named Delia.
What is the difference between Delia and Persephone?
Delia means Of Delos (Greek origin), while Persephone means Of debated meaning (Greek origin).
Which name is older, Delia or Persephone?
In US records, Delia first appears in 1880 and Persephone in 1962, so Delia has the longer recorded history.