| Eleni | Persephone | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Torch; bright light (disputed) | Of debated meaning |
| Origin | greek | Greek |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | eh-LEH-nee | per-SEF-uh-nee |
| Syllables | 3 | 4 |
| First appeared | 0 | 1962 |
| Peak year | 2024 (255) | 2022 (429) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 372 |
| Trend | Rising | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Eleni | Persephone |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,216 | 2,261 |
| 2010s | 1,420 | 1,887 |
| 2000s | 1,319 | 465 |
| 1990s | 1,275 | 141 |
| 1980s | 762 | 71 |
| 1970s | 469 | 97 |
| 1960s | 239 | 38 |
| 1950s | 100 | 0 |
| 1940s | 22 | 0 |
Modern Greek form of Helen/Helene. The etymology is uncertain: most often linked to Greek 'hele' ('torch') or a root meaning 'shine/bright', with some scholars instead proposing a connection to the moon or a pre-Greek word of unknown meaning. The 'torch/bright light' reading is traditional but not settled.
Persephone is the Greek goddess of spring and the underworld; the meaning of her name is debated.
Persephone is more popular than Eleni today: about 372 US babies were given the name Persephone in 2025, compared with 0 named Eleni.
Eleni means Torch; bright light (disputed) (greek origin), while Persephone means Of debated meaning (Greek origin).
In US records, Eleni first appears in 0 and Persephone in 1962, so Eleni has the longer recorded history.