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Persephone Meaning

    

What does Persephone mean?

The name Persephone is of Greek origin.

The meaning of Persephone is "to destroy, murder".

Persephone is generally used as a girl's name.

It consists of 10 letters and 4 syllables and is pronounced Per-se-fa-nee.

The Given Name Persephone

Although unclear, Persephone may have derived from the Greek elements pertho meaning "to destroy" and phone meaning "murder".

In Greek mythology, Persephone is the daughter of Zeus (the god of the sky and king of the gods) and Demeter (the goddess of the harvest), a great beauty and loved by all.

According to the myth, Persephone was picking flowers on the plain of Enna, when the earth suddenly opened and Hades (the god of the underworld) rose up and abducted her to make her his wife and goddess of the underworld.

Her mother, broken hearted wanders the earth looking for her. When Demeter finds out that Zeus knew where Persephone had been taken, she refuses to let anything grow until Persephone is returned.

Zeus consents and sends Hermes to Hades to get Persephone. Hades begrudgingly agrees to let her go but gives her a pomegranate or pomegranate seeds before she leaves. Once she eats the fruit she is forever bound to Hades and forced to spend a part of each year with him in the underworld.

Persephone's movement between the earth and underworld explains the changing of the seasons. When Persephone comes to earth, spring begins and when she returns to the underworld, the autumn.

Persephone falls into the name categories Greek myth, season, water.

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Persephone Popularity

In the U.S. in 2018, it ranked 1,075 in baby name popularity for girls with 235 occurrences. Less than 5 boys were given the name.

In contrast, the year before it ranked 1,118 in baby name popularity for girls with 225 occurrences. Less than 5 boys were given the name.

Want to see how Persephone sizes up? How it compares to some other names? Then check out the Persephone Name Popularity Page.

Persephone Related Names

Famous Persephones

  • Persephone ~ Greek Myth - The queen of infernal regions who was a daughter of Zeus and Demeter and the wife of Pluto.

Persephone Numerology

Want to know how your name choice may effect your child?

Then take a look at the Numerological Report For Persephone.

It may give you some insight about your new baby.

Children named Persephone are often lighthearted and square but most of all they are read more >>

Persephone Name Fun

Would you like to fingerspell the name Persephone in American Sign Language?

Then just follow the diagram below.

Be creative with the name Persephone.

Just for fun, see the name Persephone in Hieroglyphics, learn about ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics and write a Hieroglyphic message.

Learn about nautical flags and see your name or message written in nautical flags, on the Persephone in Nautical Flags page.