Selma: name meaning, origin & popularity
- Meaning
- “uncertain; possibly helmet of God”
- Origin
- Unknown
- Say it
- SEL-muh · 2 syllables
- Used for
- Girls
Usage comes from multiple sources: as a short form of names like Anselma and also from literary use. The etymology is debated; one traditional explanation connects it to Anselma, 'helmet of God.' The origin of this name is not settled among etymologists.
How popular is Selma?
Babies named Selma in 202461
2024 rank#2,767 girls
Peak year1891
Total US babies since 188027,141
Selma is steady now but far below its 1891 peak.
Names like Selma
Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.
- Avauncertain; possibly bird or life · Unknown
- Mayauncertain; often illusion or water · Unknown
- Ailanyuncertain · Unknown
- Alanauncertain; often linked to little rock or handsome · Unknown
- Leiauncertain; often used as a form of Leah · Unknown
- Londonfrom London, place name · Unknown
- Nayeliuncertain; often said to mean I love you · Unknown
- Elorauncertain; perhaps from Eliora or Laura · Unknown
Selma questions
What does the name Selma mean?
Selma means "uncertain; possibly helmet of God". It comes from Unknown. Usage comes from multiple sources: as a short form of names like Anselma and also from literary use. The etymology is debated; one traditional explanation connects it to Anselma, 'helmet of God.'
Is Selma a boy or girl name?
Selma is mainly a girl's name in US records (99% of uses since 1880).
How popular is Selma?
61 US babies were named Selma in 2024. Its peak year was 1891.
How do you pronounce Selma?
Selma is usually pronounced SEL-muh.
Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.