Find out how popular the first name Selah has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Selah by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Selah is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 99% of people named Selah being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 1,010 female babies and 12 male babies born with the name Selah.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 12 baby boys were named Selah in 2023, despite it being a predominantly female name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Selah

The name Selah has its roots in the Hebrew language, originating from biblical times. It is believed to be derived from the Hebrew word "selah," which appears frequently in the Psalms of the Old Testament. The word has multiple interpretations, including "pause" or "interlude," suggesting a moment of reflection or emphasis.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Selah can be found in the Book of Psalms, where it appears as a word or notation within the text. However, there is no definitive evidence of its use as a personal name during ancient times. The name's popularity as a given name seems to have emerged more recently, possibly influenced by its scriptural significance.

Throughout history, the name Selah has been borne by a few notable individuals. One of the earliest known was Selah Bartlett (1817-1855), an American educator and author from Massachusetts who wrote several textbooks on mathematics and arithmetic. Another notable figure was Selah Merrill (1837-1909), an American archaeologist and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Near Eastern civilizations.

In the 20th century, Selah Vick (1919-2020) was an American lawyer and civil rights activist who played a crucial role in the desegregation of public schools in Florida. Additionally, Selah Sue (born 1989) is a Belgian singer-songwriter known for her unique blend of soul, folk, and pop music, achieving commercial success with her album "Selah Sue" in 2011.

Another individual named Selah was Selah Lindh (1828-1921), a Swedish-American painter and illustrator who was active in the late 19th century. Her works often depicted scenes of everyday life and were displayed in various exhibitions across Sweden and the United States.

While not a comprehensive list, these individuals demonstrate the historical usage of the name Selah across different cultures and time periods, although its popularity as a given name appears to be relatively modern.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Selah was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Selah, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!