Persephone is the name of the Greek goddess of spring and queen of the underworld, the daughter of Demeter whose yearly return from Hades explained the seasons. The name is of uncertain, probably pre-Greek origin; the Greeks themselves read it as "bringer of destruction", a nod to her role as ruler of the dead. Once far too grand for a birth certificate, Persephone entered the US top 1000 in 2019, peaked at number 683 in 2022 and ranks number 735 in 2025.