Selma
Selma: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈsɛlmə/
Meaning and origin of Selma
Root meaning: “good vision”
- A female given name.
Etymology
Taken to use in the 19th century when similar-sounding names, Elma, Thelma, Alma, Wilma, etc. were in vogue. Perhaps a shortening of Anselma, or from the name of a place in the James Macpherson's Ossian cycle of epic poems, itself from Scottish Gaelic sealladh + math (“good vision”). In some cases perhaps borrowed from Turkish Selma, from Arabic سَلْمَى (salmā).
How popular is Selma?
Since 1880, 26,881 girls and 321 boys in the U.S. have been named Selma (99% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #163 in 1891. Its highest rank for boys was #1421 in 1909. In 2025, 61 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Names similar to Selma
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
Sibling name ideas for Selma
Names that peaked around the same time as Selma and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
Selma FAQ
What does the name Selma mean?
Selma traces back to a root meaning "good vision". A female given name. Taken to use in the 19th century when similar-sounding names, Elma, Thelma, Alma, Wilma, etc. were in vogue. Perhaps a shortening of Anselma, or from the name of a place in the James Macpherson's Ossian cycle of epic poems, itself from Scottish Gaelic sealladh + math (“good vision”). In some cases perhaps borrowed from Turkish Selma, from Arabic سَلْمَى (salmā).
How popular is the name Selma?
Since 1880, 26,881 girls and 321 boys in the U.S. have been named Selma (99% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #163 in 1891. Its highest rank for boys was #1421 in 1909. In 2025, 61 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Is Selma a boy or girl name?
Selma is mostly a girl name in the U.S.: 26,881 girls and 321 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.