Girl · #328 in 2026

Serena

Serena is a feminine given name. It is derived from the Latin word serēnus, meaning "clear, tranquil, serene". Serena is also a feminine Japanese given name. This name was borne by one of the first saints, Serena of Rome, purported wife of Emperor Diocletian.

  • English
  • Italian
  • Ancient Roman
  • French
Current Rank
#328
Peak Rank
#209 (2000)
Total Babies
48K
5-Yr Trend
+16%
1880
First Year
2026
Last Year
2000
Peak Year
#209
Peak Rank
48K
Total Count
147
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Serena

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Serena is a feminine given name. It is derived from the Latin word serēnus, meaning "clear, tranquil, serene". Serena is also a feminine Japanese given name. This name was borne by one of the first saints, Serena of Rome, purported wife of Emperor Diocletian.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • English
  • Italian
  • Ancient Roman
  • French

The Story of Serena

The earliest SSA record of Serena as a baby girl name dates back to 1880, when 13 babies received it. 2000 was its biggest year on record, with 1,504 newborns named Serena — #209 in the national rankings. The 2000s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 22% of all recorded Serenas. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #328 among baby girl names with 950 births, rising sharply (+16% over the past five years). In total, more than 48K Serenas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Serena

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Serena. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Notable people named Serena

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

  • Serena (wife of Stilicho) (c. 370–408), important noblewoman of the late Western Roman Empire
  • Serena Altschul (born 1970), broadcast journalist
  • Serena Bocchino (born 1960), American artist
  • Serena Brancale (born 1989), Italian singer-songwriter
  • Serena Auñón-Chancellor (born 1976), American physician, engineer, and NASA astronaut
  • Serena Katherine Dandridge (1878–1956), American scientific illustrator, painter, naturalist, and suffragist
  • Serena DeBeer , American chemist
  • Serena Deeb (born 1986), American professional wrestler

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Names that sound like Serena

Phonetically similar names — useful when Serena is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Serena

What does the name Serena mean?
Serena is a feminine given name. It is derived from the Latin word serēnus, meaning "clear, tranquil, serene". Serena is also a feminine Japanese given name. This name was borne by one of the first saints, Serena of Rome, purported wife of Emperor Diocletian.
What is the origin of the name Serena?
Serena has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English, Italian, Ancient Roman, French.
How popular is Serena in 2026?
In 2026, Serena ranks #328 among girls' names in the U.S., with 950 babies given the name that year.
When was Serena most popular?
Serena reached its peak popularity in 2000, ranking #209 that year with 1,504 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Serena most popular?
Serena has historically been most popular in Hawaii, Alaska, North Dakota. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Serena.
Is Serena a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Serena is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Serena?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Serena include Elma, Dena, Guadalupe. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Serena?
Common variants and related forms of Serena include Sarina, Serina, Serrena. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

Similar Names

👧
Elma
Peak #209
👧
Dena
Peak #208
👧
Guadalupe
Peak #210
👧
Savanna
Peak #210
👧
Katelynn
Peak #210
👧
Hulda
Peak #207
👧
Patrice
Peak #211
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Rowan
Peak #211

About the name Serena

Serena is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 48K births in the dataset. Serena's peak popularity came in 2000 when it ranked #209. Use the chart and map above to compare Serena's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.