How Many People Are Named Selma?
Complete statistics for the name Selma: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.
Selma is a classic, old-school name with Germanic and Arabic roots, thought to mean 'divine protection' or 'peace'. Only around 6,080 people named Selma are estimated to be living in the US today, making it genuinely rare at 1 in 54,279 Americans. It had its golden era over a century ago, and that history is written all over its numbers.
📖 Meaning & Origin
Life path number 5 is traditionally associated with freedom, curiosity, and a restless desire for adventure. People connected to the number 5 are seen as adaptable and energetic, drawn to change and new experiences rather than routine.
🌍 Worldwide Usage
⚥ Gender Distribution
📊 Births by Age Group
Avg Cohort Age: 96All 27,105 recorded US births for this name, grouped by the age those individuals would be today. Not adjusted for survival, so the number living today is lower (see the living estimate above).
📈 Popularity Over Time
Peak: 1918Annual US births from SSA records · Trend: Slowly declining
🏆 Name Scorecard
Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency
📜 Selma Through the Generations
Selma peaked in 1918 with 811 births in a single year, and the name has been slowly fading ever since. Of the 27,105 people ever given this name in the US, only about 6,080 are estimated to still be living, which tells you how long ago most of those births happened. The age story is striking: 88% of living Selmas are over 60, and the average age sits at 96. That's not a rounding quirk, it genuinely reflects a name that belongs to another era. Just 2,369 are under 30, compared to 23,886 over 60. A small wave of parents has quietly kept the name alive in recent years, but it remains very rare. If you meet a Selma today, chances are she remembers a time before television.
📍 State Distribution (Top 10)
⭐ Famous People Named 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".…
Full list on Wikipedia →🌿 Related Names by Origin
Other names sharing Selma's Germanic and Arabic roots
📄 About the Name Selma
How Many People Have the Name Selma?
Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 153 people in the United States currently share the name Selma. That works out to roughly 1 in every 2,166,335 Americans, placing it in the Very Rare category.
Is Selma a Common or Rare Name?
Selma is classified as Very Rare. The rarity scale runs from Very Common (shared by millions) through Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare. Understanding where a name sits helps parents gauge uniqueness, genealogists narrow down records, and individuals settle debates about their own name's distinctiveness.
What Does the Name Selma Mean?
Selma means "divine protection and peace" and comes from Germanic and Arabic origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 5.
Gender Breakdown
Of all recorded bearers of Selma in SSA data, approximately 1% are male and 99% are female.
When Was Selma Most Popular?
The name Selma reached peak popularity in 1918, with 811 babies registered that year. Current trend: Slowly declining.
How Is This Data Calculated?
All figures are statistical estimates, not exact government headcounts. The underlying data comes from the SSA National Baby Names dataset. Full methodology is explained on the methodology page.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How many people are named Selma?
Approximately 153 people named Selma live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 153. That works out to roughly 1 in 2,166,335 Americans.
Is Selma a rare name?
Selma is classified as Very Rare in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 2,166,335 Americans has this name.
What does the name Selma mean?
Selma means "divine protection and peace" and comes from Germanic and Arabic origins.
Is Selma more male or female?
Based on SSA records, 1% of people named Selma are male and 99% are female.
When was Selma most popular?
Selma peaked in 1918 with 811 births that year. Current trend: Slowly declining.
How accurate are these statistics?
All figures are statistical estimates based on SSA birth records and age-adjusted modeling. See the methodology page for full details.