Selena
Girl name · #268 in 2025 · Distinctive
In 2025, 1,170 baby girls were named Selena, placing it at #268 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #320, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,538 girls born in 2025 was named Selena.
The 145-year story
Selena first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1995, when 3,825 girls were named Selena — good for #91 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Selena per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Selena against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Selena in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Selena is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Selena is most common
Geography matters for names, and Selena is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Selena is most common in NM (3.6 per 1,000), NV (2.3 per 1,000), OK (1.7 per 1,000), AZ (1.5 per 1,000), CT (1.3 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.9 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Selena is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Selena
Statistically, parents drawn to Selena tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Serena, Sabrina, Brianna, Marina, and Mckenna.
SerenaSabrinaBriannaMarinaMckennaTianaAnaMariana
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Selena | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,170 | #268 |
| 2024 | 1,294 | #245 |
| 2023 | 1,307 | #229 |
| 2022 | 1,280 | #239 |
| 2021 | 1,453 | #203 |
| 2020 | 1,243 | #242 |
| 2019 | 1,336 | #233 |
| 2018 | 1,316 | #248 |
| 2017 | 1,306 | #243 |
| 2016 | 1,126 | #287 |
| 2015 | 1,016 | #320 |
| 2014 | 960 | #345 |
| 2013 | 945 | #342 |
| 2012 | 1,053 | #304 |
| 2011 | 986 | #319 |
| 2010 | 984 | #326 |
| 2009 | 1,019 | #321 |
| 2008 | 957 | #349 |
| 2007 | 1,059 | #319 |
| 2006 | 1,164 | #284 |
| 2005 | 1,379 | #242 |
| 2004 | 1,242 | #258 |
| 2003 | 1,179 | #267 |
| 2002 | 1,288 | #246 |
| 2001 | 1,485 | #214 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Selena a popular girl name?
Selena ranked #268 among girls in 2025 with 1,170 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #320.
When was the name Selena most popular?
Selena peaked in 1995, when 3,825 American girls received the name (ranked #91 that year). Since 1995 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Selena?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,538 newborn American girls was named Selena. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.