| Persephone | Eleni | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Of debated meaning | Torch; bright light (disputed) |
| Origin | Greek | greek |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | per-SEF-uh-nee | eh-LEH-nee |
| Syllables | 4 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1962 | 0 |
| Peak year | 2022 (429) | 2024 (255) |
| In 2025 | 372 | 0 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Persephone | Eleni |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 2,261 | 1,216 |
| 2010s | 1,887 | 1,420 |
| 2000s | 465 | 1,319 |
| 1990s | 141 | 1,275 |
| 1980s | 71 | 762 |
| 1970s | 97 | 469 |
| 1960s | 38 | 239 |
| 1950s | 0 | 100 |
| 1940s | 0 | 22 |
Persephone is the Greek goddess of spring and the underworld; the meaning of her name is debated.
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 more popular than Eleni today: about 372 US babies were given the name Persephone in 2025, compared with 0 named Eleni.
Persephone means Of debated meaning (Greek origin), while Eleni means Torch; bright light (disputed) (greek origin).
In US records, Persephone first appears in 1962 and Eleni in 0, so Eleni has the longer recorded history.