Persephone
per-SEF-oh-nee
Persephone comes from the ancient Greek Perséphone, whose meaning is debated but possibly derived from pherein (“to bring”) and phonos (“destruction, murder”), giving “bringer of destruction.” An alternative reading connects it to an earlier pre-Greek
name meaning “thresher of grain.”
In Greek mythology, Persephone was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter who was abducted by Hades and taken to the underworld. The myth explains the seasons: when she returns to her mother, spring arrives; when she descends, winter comes.
What the name Persephone means
Persephone peaked at No. 685 in 2022 with 428 births. In 2024 it ranks No. 737 with 381 births, holding near its recent peak as mythology names continue their resurgence.
The name benefits from growing interest in Greek mythology names for girls: Persephone, Calliope, Selene, and Artemis have all risen in the 2010s and 2020s.
Fantasy and fiction—particularly the webcomic Lore Olympus (2018)—have refreshed the mythological context.
Five syllables—per-SEF-uh-nee—make it one of the longer names in regular use. The stress on the second syllable and the open final syllable give it a flowing, ceremonial quality.
Parents drawn to Persephone often appreciate the mythological depth alongside the practical nickname Persy or Sephie—a formal name with flexible informal options.
Related mythological names include Demeter (her mother), Kore (her alternate name meaning maiden), and Proserpina (the Roman equivalent).
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Persephone - similar names
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