Selby
From Old Norse selja (“willow, sallow”) + býr (“settlement, farm”).
Every Selby since 1909 — 981 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Selby
Selby is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #13,573 in 2025 with 5 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1909, 981 American babies have been named Selby — about 70% boys and 30% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1993, when 26 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
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 Selby stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Selby year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 5 | #13,573 |
| 2024 | 6 | #14,994 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | 7 | #13,364 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — | — | — |
| 2018 | 9 | #11,296 | — | — |
| 2017 | 7 | #13,879 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — | — | — |
| 2015 | 9 | #11,696 | — | — |
| 2014 | 7 | #14,322 | 5 | #13,731 |
| 2013 | 9 | #11,827 | — | — |
| 2012 | 7 | #14,728 | — | — |
| 2011 | 5 | #19,095 | 5 | #13,999 |
| 2010 | 8 | #13,266 | — | — |
| 2009 | 13 | #9,308 | — | — |
| 2008 | 7 | #15,124 | 7 | #10,835 |
| 2007 | 9 | #12,492 | — | — |
| 2006 | 11 | #10,484 | 7 | #10,474 |
| 2005 | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | 11 | #9,793 | — | — |
| 2003 | 9 | #11,173 | 5 | #12,451 |
| 2002 | 10 | #10,103 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | 11 | #7,975 | 7 | #7,664 |
| 1990 | 7 | #11,144 | 5 | #9,275 |
| 1985 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | 7 | #4,168 |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | 8 | #3,296 |
| 1955 | 6 | #5,723 | 7 | #3,463 |
| 1950 | 5 | #5,978 | 9 | #2,745 |
| 1945 | — | — | 5 | #3,712 |
| 1940 | — | — | 6 | #3,414 |
| 1935 | — | — | 14 | #2,016 |
| 1930 | 5 | #5,152 | 8 | #3,254 |
| 1925 | — | — | 13 | #2,415 |
| 1920 | — | — | 15 | #2,208 |
| 1915 | — | — | 9 | #2,795 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Selby mean?
From Old Norse selja (“willow, sallow”) + býr (“settlement, farm”).
How popular is the name Selby in 2025?
Selby ranked #13,573 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 5 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Selby?
981 babies have been named Selby in the United States since 1909, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Selby most popular?
Selby peaked in 1993, when 26 newborns received the name.
Is Selby a boy or girl name?
Selby is used for both: about 30% of babies named Selby have been girls and 70% boys.
Is the name Selby rising or falling?
Selby has been roughly stable over the past decade.