Selby
Selby is both a given name and surname.
Meaning & Origin of Selby
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Selby is both a given name and surname.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Selby
As a girl name
Selby first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1930, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1997, when 15 Selbys were born — ranking #6,162 that year. As of 2026, Selby ranks #13,427 for girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 293 Selbys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1930s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Selby first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1909, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1922, when 24 Selbys were born — ranking #1,545 that year. As of 2026, Selby ranks #12,106 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 683 Selbys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Selby
Phonetically similar names — useful when Selby is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Selby
What does the name Selby mean?
How popular is Selby in 2026?
When was Selby most popular?
In which U.S. states is Selby most popular?
Is Selby a unisex name?
What names go well with Selby?
About the name Selby
Selby is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1909 and has accumulated 683 births in the dataset. Selby's peak popularity came in 1922 when it ranked #1,545. Use the chart and map above to compare Selby's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1922 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.