Selma: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#2,810

among girls · ↓16 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Selma

How common

1 in 26,349

girls born in 2025

Peak year

1918

811 babies

All-time total

27,202

#894 all-time among girls

First recorded

1880

in Social Security records

Selma popularity over time

27,202 babies have been named Selma since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Girls	Boys	Total	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	808	–	808	81	–	#189
1890s	2,067	–	2,067	207	+156%	#163
1900s	2,396	11	2,407	241	+16%	#181
1910s	5,768	95	5,863	586	+144%	#214
1920s	6,771	80	6,851	685	+17%	#233
1930s	2,880	70	2,950	295	-57%	#273
1940s	1,332	37	1,369	137	-54%	#567
1950s	1,061	23	1,084	108	-21%	#816
1960s	681	5	686	69	-37%	#1,010
1970s	251	–	251	25	-63%	#2,073
1980s	225	–	225	23	-10%	#3,131
1990s	398	–	398	40	+77%	#2,178
2000s	956	–	956	96	+140%	#1,653
2010s	882	–	882	88	-8%	#1,865
2020s (to 2025)	405	–	405	68	-23%	#2,191

Where Selma is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 girls (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 girls	Implied rank
2026	59	0.04	outside top 500
2027	57	0.04	outside top 500
2028	56	0.03	outside top 500
2029	55	0.03	outside top 500
2030	54	0.03	outside top 500

The story of Selma

Selma is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #2,810 in 2025 with 61 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 27,202 American babies have been named Selma. Its peak came in 1918, when 811 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1910s.

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 Selma stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Selma?

The median living Selma is about 59 years old; half are between 19 and 78. An estimated 6,400 people named Selma are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Selma 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	61	#2,810	–	–
2024	61	#2,794	–	–
2023	74	#2,439	–	–
2022	63	#2,749	–	–
2021	63	#2,748	–	–
2020	83	#2,191	–	–
2019	87	#2,152	–	–
2018	79	#2,325	–	–
2017	88	#2,179	–	–
2016	95	#2,081	–	–
2015	88	#2,165	–	–
2014	109	#1,865	–	–
2013	82	#2,278	–	–
2012	72	#2,542	–	–
2011	96	#2,040	–	–
2010	86	#2,252	–	–
2009	87	#2,266	–	–
2008	90	#2,217	–	–
2007	100	#2,054	–	–
2006	103	#1,955	–	–
2005	117	#1,702	–	–
2004	118	#1,653	–	–
2003	96	#1,911	–	–
2002	74	#2,248	–	–
2001	90	#1,937	–	–
2000	81	#2,049	–	–
1995	32	#3,480	–	–
1990	35	#3,211	–	–
1985	11	#6,365	–	–
1980	25	#3,395	–	–
1975	21	#3,378	–	–
1970	40	#2,073	–	–
1965	91	#1,107	–	–
1960	93	#1,130	–	–
1955	113	#927	–	–
1950	102	#883	–	–
1945	102	#740	9	#2,553
1940	150	#567	6	#3,416
1935	212	#444	8	#2,911
1930	550	#273	9	#2,982
1925	668	#257	10	#2,905
1920	768	#233	–	–
1915	741	#217	12	#2,283
1910	293	#221	6	#1,559
1905	224	#202	–	–
1900	239	#201	–	–
1895	208	#188	–	–
1890	165	#183	–	–
1885	68	#245	–	–
1880	36	#259	–	–

Famous people named Selma

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

1 Selma Blair American actress (born 1972) Contemporary
2 Selma Lagerlöf Swedish author (1858–1940) 19th century
3 Selma Ergeç Turkish actress (born 1978) Contemporary
4 Selma Björnsdóttir Icelandic singer b. 1974 · Contemporary
5 Selma Rıza Turkish novelist (1872-1931) 19th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Selma, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Selma?

The median living Selma is about 59 years old. Half of all living Selmas are between 19 and 78 years old.

How many people named Selma are alive today?

An estimated 6,400 people named Selma are alive in the United States, based on 27,202 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Selma mean?

Selma is a feminine name of ambiguous origin.

How popular is the name Selma in 2025?

Selma ranked #2,810 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 61 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Selma?

27,202 babies have been named Selma in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Selma most popular?

Selma peaked in 1918, when 811 newborns received the name.

Is Selma a boy or girl name?

Selma is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 99% of babies with the name.

Is the name Selma rising or falling?

Selma is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Will Selma become more popular?

Selma is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 54 girls named Selma in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Selma?

Well-known people named Selma include Selma Blair (actor), Selma Lagerlöf (writer), Selma Ergeç (actor).

Names like Selma

Names that sound and feel close to Selma: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Selma with similar names → More names starting with S →