Girl · #2,824 in 2026

Selma

Selma is a feminine name of ambiguous origin. It could be a form of Selima, which in turn is a name first recorded in a poem by Thomas Gray. One possibility is that Selima was influenced by the Arabic name Selim meaning "peaceful". In Turkey, the name is a variation of the Arabic female name Salma. There may also be a homonymous name with Celtic origins, in which case it means "beautiful view".

Current Rank
#2,824
Peak Rank
#162 (1918)
Total Babies
27K
5-Yr Trend
-20%
1880
First Year
2026
Last Year
1918
Peak Year
#162
Peak Rank
27K
Total Count
147
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Selma

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Selma is a feminine name of ambiguous origin. It could be a form of Selima, which in turn is a name first recorded in a poem by Thomas Gray. One possibility is that Selima was influenced by the Arabic name Selim meaning "peaceful". In Turkey, the name is a variation of the Arabic female name Salma. There may also be a homonymous name with Celtic origins, in which case it means "beautiful view".

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Selma

Selma first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 36 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1918, when 798 Selmas were born — ranking #223 that year. As of 2026, Selma ranks #2,824 for baby girls with 60 births, falling sharply (-20%). In total, more than 27K Selmas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
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Top 10
11-50
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101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Selma

Phonetically similar names — useful when Selma 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 Selma

What does the name Selma mean?
Selma is a feminine name of ambiguous origin. It could be a form of Selima, which in turn is a name first recorded in a poem by Thomas Gray. One possibility is that Selima was influenced by the Arabic name Selim meaning "peaceful". In Turkey, the name is a variation of the Arabic female name Salma. There may also be a homonymous name with Celtic origins, in which case it means "beautiful view".
How popular is Selma in 2026?
In 2026, Selma ranks #2,824 among girls' names in the U.S., with 60 babies given the name that year.
When was Selma most popular?
Selma reached its peak popularity in 1918, ranking #162 that year with 798 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Selma most popular?
Selma has historically been most popular in South Dakota, North Dakota, New York. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Selma.
Is Selma a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Selma is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Selma?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Selma include Kyla, Shanice, Leila. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👧
Kyla
Peak #162
👧
Shanice
Peak #162
👧
Leila
Peak #163
👧
Lelia
Peak #163
👧
Elva
Peak #161
👧
Freda
Peak #161
👧
Abby
Peak #163
👧
Cristina
Peak #163

About the name Selma

Selma is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 27K births in the dataset. Selma's peak popularity came in 1918 when it ranked #162. Use the chart and map above to compare Selma's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.