Seline
An attractive French feminine name derived from the Greek selene, meaning "moon".
Name Census estimates that about 517 living Americans carry the first name Seline. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Seline today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Seline births was 2021 (45 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Seline. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
517
~ 1 in 662,968 Americans
Peak year
2021
45 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,015
Tracked since 1931
Popularity
Seline: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Seline from the 1930s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 174 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Seline by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Seline during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Selines live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, New York, Texas recorded the most babies named Seline, while Florida, Texas, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 25 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Seline
The name Seline is derived from the Greek word "selene," which means "moon." It has its origins in ancient Greek mythology, where Selene was the goddess of the moon. The name was likely first used during the classical period of ancient Greece, around the 5th century BCE.
In Greek mythology, Selene was often depicted as a beautiful woman riding a chariot drawn by two white horses or oxen. She was the daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, and was associated with the cycles of the moon and its influence on the natural world.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Seline can be found in the works of the ancient Greek playwright Euripides, who lived from around 480 BCE to 406 BCE. In his play "Ion," one of the characters bears the name Seline.
During the Byzantine Empire, which lasted from the 4th to the 15th centuries, the name Seline was sometimes used as a variant spelling of the name Selene. A notable historical figure with this name was Seline of Bulgaria, who was the wife of the Byzantine Emperor John II Komnenos and lived from around 1080 to 1126.
In the Middle Ages, the name Seline was also used in various parts of Europe, particularly in regions with Greek cultural influences. One example is Seline de l'Anse, a French noblewoman who lived in the 13th century and was known for her involvement in the Crusades.
Another notable figure with the name Seline was Seline de' Strozzi, an Italian Renaissance painter who lived from around 1497 to 1567. She was part of the influential Strozzi family in Florence and was known for her portraits and religious works.
During the 19th century, the name Seline gained popularity in parts of Eastern Europe, particularly in regions with Greek or Slavic influences. One example is Seline Sokolović, a Serbian writer and feminist who lived from 1862 to 1904 and was known for her advocacy of women's rights.
While the name Seline has remained relatively uncommon in many parts of the world, it has maintained its connection to its Greek roots and the mythological symbolism of the moon. Its use throughout history has spanned various cultures and regions, reflecting the enduring influence of ancient Greek mythology and language.
People
Seline + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Seline as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Seline: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Seline?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 517 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Seline going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 662,968 US residents.
Is Seline a common name?
We classify Seline as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 529 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Seline most popular?
The single biggest year for Seline was 2021, when 45 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Seline is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Seline a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Seline in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.