From Greek 'selene' meaning moon. Associated with the Greek moon goddess Selene.
Selina is one of those names with beautifully layered ancestry. In English usage it is usually understood as a variant of Selena or Celina, and those lines point in two attractive directions: toward the Greek moon-name Selene, and toward Latin forms such as Caelina or Celina. Because of that overlap, Selina has long carried associations with moonlight, heaven, delicacy, and refinement.
The spelling with an i became established in English by the 17th century, and it has survived because it feels both classical and slightly softened, elegant without being severe. The name has been borne by some memorable women, most notably Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon, the influential 18th-century religious leader and patron of the evangelical revival in Britain. In popular culture, it gained a very different kind of glamour through Selina Kyle, better known as Catwoman, whose sleek, intelligent persona gave the name a modern edge.
Selina has therefore moved through several social moods: aristocratic, devotional, romantic, and then urban-chic. Its sound has also been shaped by the popularity of related forms such as Selena, especially in the late 20th century after the fame of singer Selena Quintanilla. Even when that variant became more common, Selina retained a slightly rarer, more literary air. It is the sort of name that can feel antique in one era and stylish in another, always helped along by its moonlit roots and its balance of softness and poise.