Given name & surname
Selina
“heavenly”
Selina is a feminine given name, possibly from Latin (ultimately Ancient Greek) and perhaps meaning “heavenly.” It is used in English, German, and Finnish.
Meaning & origin
Where it comes from
Selina is a variant of Selene. An origin associated with Selene is Greek. In German use, Selina has an alternative spelling in Celina. An origin associated with Celina is Latin.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Finnish usage, Selina developed from Céline.
The story
Selina was in use during the 17th century.
Selina through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 19,225
- 0 boys · 19,225 girls
- Most popular year
- 1995
- 704 babies
- 2025
- 176
- #1,278 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −16%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 176 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,278 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 16.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 704 in 1995. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (31). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 16,344 as a first name in 2020; 107 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Selina’s family of names
In Finnish usage, Selina developed from the French form Céline. In English usage, Selina has a related form in Selena. In German usage, Selina has a conventional equivalent in the English form Selena.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Selina has relatives in 6 languages.
6 related names in 6 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 5
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 5
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Selina
- Selina GasparinSwiss biathleteborn 1984
- Selina JenTaiwanese singer, actress and television hostborn 1981
- SalenaAustrian singerborn 1998
- Selina Hastings, Countess of HuntingdonBritish countess (1707-1791)
- Selina FreitagGerman ski jumperborn 2001
- Selina JörgGerman snowboarderborn 1988
- Selina GrotianGerman baithleteborn 2004
- Selina ChönzSwiss author (1910-2000)
- Selina Rutz-BüchelSwiss middle-distance runnerborn 1991
Characters named Selina: Catwoman (fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
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