Seletha
A feminine name of uncertain origin, potentially from Greek meaning "moonlight" or "truth".
Name Census estimates that about 50 living Americans carry the first name Seletha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Seletha today is around 60 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Seletha births was 1965 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Seletha. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Seletha. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
50
~ 1 in 6,855,087 Americans
Peak year
1965
9 babies that year
Average age
60
years old
1974 SSA rank
#9,899
Tracked since 1925
Popularity
Seletha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Seletha from the 1920s through to the 1970s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 27 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Seletha by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Seletha during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Seletha
The given name Seletha has its origins deeply rooted in ancient Greek culture and language. Etymologically, it is derived from the Greek word "selenē," which translates to "moon." This celestial connection suggests that the name may have held significance in pagan or astrological traditions of the ancient Greeks.
Historically, the earliest recorded instances of the name Seletha can be traced back to the classical era of ancient Greece, around the 5th century BCE. During this period, Greek mythology and literature often personified celestial bodies, and it is possible that Seletha was associated with lunar deities or characters from mythology.
In the annals of ancient Greek history, there are a few notable individuals who bore the name Seletha. One such figure was Seletha of Argos, a renowned poet and philosopher who lived in the 4th century BCE. Her works, unfortunately, have been lost to time, but her name is mentioned in the writings of contemporary scholars, attesting to her intellectual prowess.
Another individual of historical significance was Seletha of Corinth, a skilled artisan and sculptor who lived in the 3rd century BCE. Her exquisite marble statues were highly sought after by the wealthy elite of the time, and some of her works are believed to have adorned the temples of ancient Corinth.
In the realm of ancient Greek religion, there is a record of a priestess named Seletha who served in the temple of Artemis, the goddess of the moon, in the city of Ephesus during the 2nd century BCE. Her devotion to the lunar deity further reinforces the celestial connotations associated with the name.
Moving forward in time, the name Seletha resurfaced in the Byzantine Empire, where a noblewoman by that name lived in the 9th century CE. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her influential role in the imperial court during the reign of Emperor Basil I.
Another notable figure bearing the name Seletha was a 13th-century Byzantine scholar and physician who authored several treatises on medical practices and herbal remedies. Her work contributed significantly to the preservation and dissemination of ancient Greek medical knowledge during the Middle Ages.
Throughout the centuries, the name Seletha has appeared in various historical contexts, though its popularity has waxed and waned across different eras and cultures. Despite its ancient Greek roots, the name has transcended its origins and found resonance among diverse populations, reflecting the enduring allure of celestial symbolism and the timeless beauty of the lunar motif.
People
Seletha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Seletha as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Seletha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Seletha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 50 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Seletha going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 6,855,087 US residents.
Is Seletha a common name?
We classify Seletha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 54.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 65 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Seletha most popular?
The single biggest year for Seletha was 1965, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Seletha is about 60 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Seletha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Seletha in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.