Comments for the name Persephone

Persephone is the traditional astrological zodiac sign of Virgo.

In the myth of Persephone, she is abducted and raped by her uncle. She then has to live with him. And although I think it is a beautiful sounding name, it's not one I would actually give a child, due to the nature of the mythology. It just doesn't seem like a blessing under the circumstances.

Despite the myth of Persephone, I think it is quite elegant and beautiful. A very good name!

Persephone is the name of a character in the Matrix movies played by Monica Bellucci.

It's funny that such a horrible background and meaning would make such a lyrical, lovely name.

Persephone Hadley is one of the main characters in the book "Naughts and Crosses" by Malorie Blackman.

Even though it means 'to murder' I would still use it, but only as a middle name.

Nice name.

I LOVE Persephone. I like the nickname "Pera".

Given that the first two words of the entry are "Meaning unknown" I tend to doubt their idea of its meaning. If I remember correctly (and it's possible that I don't) Persephone was the Goddess of Springtime. The name always makes me think of flowers and the color pink. It's lovely, but I wouldn't use it. Too hard for a kid to learn to spell.

Well, I like the Spanish form of this name which is Perséfone (per-SEH-fohn-eh), if I ever have a daughter her name will probably be this. I don't know why people say so many bad things about her myth, as far as I know she only spent one thrid of a year with her "husband" and when Persephone went back to earth spring arrived, which I think is beautiful.

I love the name Persephone, especially as an alternative to the uber popular Stephanie. And Persephone wasn't just the goddess of hell, she was also the goddess of flowers, and her mother was the goddess of fertility, so I think that the myth shouldn't hold parents back.

I didn't even know how to pronounce this up until a year ago! That's one of the things that puts me off. I have a feeling it will be mispronounced all the time. When pronounced correctly I quite like it. It's a very pretty sounding name.

They don't make it extremely clear here, but when she came back from the underworld, everyone rejoiced and Spring came because Demeter was so happy! This would be a cool name for a child born on the first day of Spring! Then you could rejoice every year on her birthday!

This name is very melodious and elegant but I think it's too mythological. And it's too long. And I don't like the meaning. It's beautiful though.

I absolutely adore this name! I'm not sure if I would name my kid this though, not because of the pronunciation or anything (you'd have to be pretty ignorant to not know and recognize the name). I think the story behind the name is nice and doesn't put me off it at all, but ... I don't know, there is just something that makes me uneasy about it. Hope I don't sound crazy.

The name Persephone is the Ionic variant of Epic Literature, while the homeric variant is Persephoneia and other dialectic variants include the less lyrical Persephassa and Persephatta. Plato apparently called her Pherepapha.

Regardless, in ancient Greek, Persephone would have been pronounced (according to this site's code) per-se-pho-nay (the ph is a p aspirate, meaning that air is expelled with the consonant--it does not sound like an f).

If spelled Persephoneia, it would be pronounced per-se-phon-e-ee-ah; or, in modern Greek, per-se-fo-nee-ah.

Despite its potential meaning, the lyrical quality of this name is enough to make it a name I should give to my own daughter, about whose spelling skills I am unconcerned. People have been given long names for ages, and there is no reason to presume that humanity has grown so unintelligent as to be unable to learn how to spell a long name.

I love the way this name simply rolls of the tongue. There are no harsh sounds to it. Simply beautiful.

This name would sound quite big and loaded, even a bit pompous, on a person today. In Finland, this name would be unthinkable, as the word 'perse' means 'ass' in Finnish. This is why I always find the name a bit amusing, even though it's not that bad in English.

This name is so feminine and pure-sounding. Surprisingly, I can imagine an older person with this name, not just a kid or teenager.

I always think of the planet in Joss Whedon's sci fi show "Firefly" when I see this name.

Lovely, beautiful sound. I love hearing Persephone but I'm not too fond of how it looks. I wish I could love it more though.

Persephone's name can also mean "she who lightens the darkness". The Greek goddess of spring, she was wife to Hades, the God of the Underworld. There are several stories concerning their romance, more commonly known is "the rape" of Persephone, in which Hades tricks her into staying with him in the Underworld.

I just HATE the name. Perse-phone! It sounds like "Persian phone"! YUCK!

To the person who said this name sounds like "Persian phone", Persephone is not said as it sounds, it is usually pronounced "per-SEH-fo-nee". I think this name, while it being rather long and unusual, is beautiful.

I think this name sounds delightful really. It sounds much better than the more common Stephanie, or even Daphne, but I am afraid it is too bad about the supposed meaning. If the meaning wasn't what it is, I could imagine this name being very popular, due to it being nice and poetic-sounding, but because of its meaning I don't think the name will ever be popular, unfortunately.

I know someone with this name, and I think it is absolutely beautiful. Teachers actually don't have any trouble pronouncing her name.

"Persephone" is the name of a song by the Cocteau Twins.

Persephone is a beautiful name, but other names that refer to death, demons and the like such as Medusa, Lilith and Nemesis I wouldn't give a daughter this sort of name. It was however a most appropriate name for the character Monica Bellucci portrayed in the Matrix movies.

It sounds like a mix between "Percival" and "Stephanie". It's lovely but only on a character in a book or something.

PERSEPHONE according to Plato means wise. (from Plato's Dialogue with Cratylus, Plato, Cratylus and Hermogenes talk about the true origin of names).

"Phone" in Greek does not mean solely to murder, it also means "speech sound" (in words such as "homophone" and "telephone"). And the "perse" part--which the word means "dark blue" in English--comes from the Greek word Persikos--"a Persian." So Persephone doesn't have to have such a violent meaning--it can also mean "Persian sound" or "Persian speaker."

If the spelling of "phone" is with an omega instead of an omicron the meaning could be "voice" rather than murder and fits the name meaning better ie Voice of Destruction.

So, so, so gorgeous. Words don’t even begin to describe how lovely I find Persephone. I actually really like the meaning – at least in theory, though not necessarily on a child.

I LOVE the nickname Posy for a little Persephone. I think it’s precious. Despite my love for Persephone, to this day I still have issues pronouncing it!

This name is lovely but I wouldn't give it to my child due to it's horrific background.

Horrid meaning, but I really like the way it sounds.

Beautiful sound, terrible meaning.

When it is said that the name Persephone means to murder, or destroy, it is not people they are discussing. In Greek Mythology, her mother Demeter was the goddess of the earth/vegetation. The two are often referred to as the "mistresses" because they work together. Persephone is forced to return to the Underworld with Hades for 3 months of the year, when all of the vegetation then dies... in order to be reborn. It's really not the negative connotation that most people think.

Also, as far as it being a long, pioused, or difficult name... my first name is Stephanieauna. It's had it's disadvantages, but it's also had it's advantages. Hard to find on key chains, though!

I've always liked old Latin names... this one is no exception. I love how it sounds when you say it out loud~

Persephone is my youngest daughter's name. I always remembered the story from school and I always associated it more with the changing of seasons than kidnapping and rape. I also think the name itself is reminiscent of a white flower. It just sounds pure and clean and beautiful. We call her Sephie or Seph for short and while my husband wasn't on board with it at first and still worries it's too pretentious, he admits that it really is HER name and she couldn't be named anything else. And BTW, almost everyone who hears it loves it. And it doesn't get mispronounced as often as you might think.

This is my favorite name, but I hate how everyone here loves it. Thank god it's not popular, and I think it's silly for the ignorant anglophones on here who think this will be mispronounced all the time- then why is Penelope always pronounced right? That was a more common name at one time. This even rhymes with that name. Sheesh, it's gorgeous.

There is a band called Persephone's Bees.

The name "Persephone" has a beautiful meaning! It is NOT related to the ancient Greek "phonos" (murder), as you say. Actually it derives from the ancient Greek words "φέρειν"-"pherein" and "φάος"-"phaos" (or "φως"-"phos). "φέρειν" means "to bring" and "φάος" or "φως" means "the light". Persephone is "the one who brings the light", and this is a beautiful meaning! Another ancient form of the name in "Phersephone" or "Phersepfata", a form closer to its constituent words. Persephone was the goddess of springtime, she has a lot to do with light, and nothing to do with murder. Please check the origin at "Papyros LaRousse" encyclopedia. Greetings and kisses, from Thessalonica / Macedonia / Greece.

This name is so cool and it's also exotic. I like it with the middle name Lillian so it matches with the myth.
Also, this seems too long as a middle name so it's best to go with firsts.

Forget the meaning... If you pronounce it right, it's beautiful. It's per-SEF-un-EE.

Despite the negative meaning, I think this name is absolutely stunning. I love it with the name Rose. Persephone Rose... it's wonderful.