What does Persephone mean?
Persephone is the Greek goddess of spring and the underworld; the meaning of her name is debated.
What does Ariadne mean?
Ariadne means “most holy” in Greek; she guides Theseus from the labyrinth.
Persephone vs Ariadne
Which is more popular?
Persephone is more popular than Ariadne today: about 372 US babies were given the name Persephone in 2025, compared with 115 named Ariadne.
| Persephone | Ariadne | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Of debated meaning | Most holy |
| Origin | Greek | Greek |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | per-SEF-uh-nee | ar-ee-AD-nee |
| Syllables | 4 | 4 |
| First appeared | 1962 | 1960 |
| Peak year | 2022 (429) | 2016 (389) |
| In 2025 | 372 | 115 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Persephone
Ariadne
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Persephone | Ariadne |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 2,261 | 1,126 |
| 2010s | 1,887 | 2,589 |
| 2000s | 465 | 621 |
| 1990s | 141 | 255 |
| 1980s | 71 | 100 |
| 1970s | 97 | 63 |
| 1960s | 38 | 70 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Persephone or Ariadne more popular?
Persephone is more popular than Ariadne today: about 372 US babies were given the name Persephone in 2025, compared with 115 named Ariadne.
What is the difference between Persephone and Ariadne?
Persephone means Of debated meaning (Greek origin), while Ariadne means Most holy (Greek origin).
Which name is older, Persephone or Ariadne?
In US records, Persephone first appears in 1962 and Ariadne in 1960, so Ariadne has the longer recorded history.