Sela
Every Sela since 1950 — 1,328 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Sela
Sela is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #4,738 in 2025 with 29 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1950, 1,328 American babies have been named Sela. Its peak came in 2000, when 81 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Sela stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Sela year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29 | #4,738 |
| 2024 | 35 | #4,198 |
| 2023 | 26 | #5,103 |
| 2022 | 24 | #5,442 |
| 2021 | 21 | #5,918 |
| 2020 | 19 | #6,288 |
| 2019 | 27 | #5,016 |
| 2018 | 45 | #3,486 |
| 2017 | 27 | #5,032 |
| 2016 | 22 | #5,955 |
| 2015 | 29 | #4,837 |
| 2014 | 34 | #4,343 |
| 2013 | 29 | #4,867 |
| 2012 | 37 | #4,108 |
| 2011 | 43 | #3,652 |
| 2010 | 31 | #4,715 |
| 2009 | 50 | #3,348 |
| 2008 | 51 | #3,311 |
| 2007 | 63 | #2,885 |
| 2006 | 68 | #2,664 |
| 2005 | 64 | #2,666 |
| 2004 | 47 | #3,256 |
| 2003 | 64 | #2,548 |
| 2002 | 61 | #2,575 |
| 2001 | 66 | #2,405 |
| 2000 | 81 | #2,048 |
| 1995 | 29 | #3,758 |
| 1990 | 7 | #11,142 |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | 5 | #5,977 |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Sela
- Sela Ward Actor · b. 1956
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Sela in 2025?
Sela ranked #4,738 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 29 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Sela?
1,328 babies have been named Sela in the United States since 1950, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Sela most popular?
Sela peaked in 2000, when 81 newborns received the name.
Is Sela a boy or girl name?
Sela is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Sela rising or falling?
Sela has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Sela?
Well-known people named Sela include Sela Ward (actor).