Selma
Girl name · #2779 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Selma? In official American birth records, Selma has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Selma is currently the #2779 girl name in the United States — 61 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2152, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 29,508 girls born in 2025 was named Selma.
The 145-year story
Selma first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 36 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1918, when 798 girls were named Selma — good for #223 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Selma per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Selma against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Selma in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Selma is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Selma will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Selma is most common
State-level data for Selma is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Selma
Statistically, parents drawn to Selma tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Elma, Iona, Golda, Neva, and Lela.
ElmaIonaGoldaNevaLelaMinnaLillaMaida
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Selma | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 61 | #2778 |
| 2024 | 61 | #2775 |
| 2023 | 74 | #2415 |
| 2022 | 63 | #2720 |
| 2021 | 63 | #2715 |
| 2020 | 83 | #2170 |
| 2019 | 87 | #2140 |
| 2018 | 79 | #2302 |
| 2017 | 88 | #2160 |
| 2016 | 95 | #2068 |
| 2015 | 88 | #2152 |
| 2014 | 109 | #1853 |
| 2013 | 82 | #2259 |
| 2012 | 72 | #2516 |
| 2011 | 96 | #2026 |
| 2010 | 86 | #2237 |
| 2009 | 87 | #2244 |
| 2008 | 90 | #2206 |
| 2007 | 100 | #2034 |
| 2006 | 103 | #1939 |
| 2005 | 117 | #1690 |
| 2004 | 118 | #1643 |
| 2003 | 96 | #1896 |
| 2002 | 74 | #2228 |
| 2001 | 90 | #1922 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Selma?
In official American birth records, the name Selma first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 36 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Selma a popular girl name?
Selma ranked #2779 among girls in 2025 with 61 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2152.
When was the name Selma most popular?
Selma peaked in 1918, when 798 American girls received the name (ranked #223 that year). Since 1918 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Selma?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 29,508 newborn American girls was named Selma. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.