Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1916

Selmer

Gender Boy · 1% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists

Selmer is a masculine or feminine given name which may refer to:Selmer Bringsjord, American computer scientist Selmer W.

Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Selmer
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1916
43 babies
All-time total
769
#6,098 all-time among boys
First recorded
1887
in Social Security records

Selmer popularity over time

769 babies have been named Selmer since 1887, 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
0.030.050.080.118801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

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 – 12 12 1 – #903
1890s – 63 63 6 +425% #707
1900s – 47 47 5 -25% #989
1910s 5 257 262 26 +457% #930
1920s 5 222 227 23 -13% #1,281
1930s – 90 90 9 -60% #1,920
1940s – 63 63 6 -30% #2,712
1950s – 5 5 1 -92% #4,122
1960s – – – – – –
1970s – – – – – –
1980s – – – – – –
1990s – – – – – –
2000s – – – – – –
2010s – – – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – – – –

The story of Selmer

Selmer is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1887, 769 American babies have been named Selmer. Its peak came in 1916, when 43 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 Selmer stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

Selmer 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 – – – –
2024 – – – –
2023 – – – –
2022 – – – –
2021 – – – –
2020 – – – –
2019 – – – –
2018 – – – –
2017 – – – –
2016 – – – –
2015 – – – –
2014 – – – –
2013 – – – –
2012 – – – –
2011 – – – –
2010 – – – –
2009 – – – –
2008 – – – –
2007 – – – –
2006 – – – –
2005 – – – –
2004 – – – –
2003 – – – –
2002 – – – –
2001 – – – –
2000 – – – –
1995 – – – –
1990 – – – –
1985 – – – –
1980 – – – –
1975 – – – –
1970 – – – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – – –
1955 – – – –
1950 – – 5 #4,122
1945 – – 7 #2,959
1940 – – 7 #3,093
1935 – – 9 #2,687
1930 – – 13 #2,279
1925 5 #5,668 22 #1,669
1920 – – 26 #1,493
1915 – – 39 #1,034
1910 – – – –
1905 – – 5 #1,399
1900 – – 8 #1,037
1895 – – 5 #1,217
1890 – – 9 #730
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

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

What does the name Selmer mean?

Selmer is a masculine or feminine given name which may refer to:Selmer Bringsjord, American computer scientist Selmer W.

How popular is the name Selmer in 2025?

Selmer did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Selmer?

769 babies have been named Selmer in the United States since 1887, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Selmer most popular?

Selmer peaked in 1916, when 43 newborns received the name.

Is Selmer a boy or girl name?

Selmer is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 99% of babies with the name.

Is the name Selmer rising or falling?

Selmer has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Names like Selmer

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

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