Selik
A gender-neutral name derived from the Turkish word "Selik" meaning "clear, limpid".
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Selik. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Selik today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Selik births was 2020 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Selik. 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 Selik. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
2020
6 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2020 SSA rank
#11,786
Tracked since 2018
Popularity
Selik: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Selik from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 6 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
Selik 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 Selik 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 Selik
The name Selik is believed to have originated from the ancient Sumerian language, one of the earliest known written languages, dating back to around 3500 BC. The name is thought to be derived from the Sumerian word "seliku," which means "to be strong" or "to be powerful." This suggests that the name Selik may have been given to individuals who were perceived as having strength or power, either physically or in terms of their character.
In ancient Sumerian mythology, there are references to a deity or figure named "Seliki," who was associated with strength, courage, and protection. While the exact nature of this figure is not entirely clear, it is possible that the name Selik was initially used as a way to honor or invoke the qualities represented by this mythological entity.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Selik can be found in ancient Sumerian cuneiform inscriptions from the city-state of Uruk, dating back to around 2500 BC. These inscriptions mention individuals with the name Selik, indicating that it was in use during this time period in Mesopotamia, the region where Sumerian culture flourished.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Selik. One of the earliest recorded examples is Selik of Nippur, a Sumerian priest and scribe who lived around 2100 BC. He is known for his contributions to the preservation and transmission of Sumerian literature and religious texts.
Another prominent figure with the name Selik was Selik the Brave, a legendary warrior from the ancient Iranian region of Parthia, who lived around the 1st century BC. According to historical accounts, Selik the Brave was renowned for his exceptional bravery and military prowess in defending his people against invading forces.
In the realm of literature, there was Selik the Poet, an influential Persian writer and poet who lived during the 9th century AD. His collection of poems, titled "The Garden of Selik," was widely celebrated for its lyrical beauty and profound insights into the human condition.
In the field of science, Selik al-Hakim was an influential Arab mathematician and astronomer who lived in the 9th century AD. He made significant contributions to the development of algebra and the study of celestial bodies, earning him a reputation as one of the greatest scholars of his time.
Lastly, Selik the Explorer was a renowned Venetian traveler and merchant who lived in the 13th century. His detailed accounts of his journeys to the Far East, including his interactions with the Mongol Empire, provided valuable insights into the cultures and trade routes of the time.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Selik, highlighting its enduring presence across various cultures and time periods.
People
Selik + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Selik 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
Selik: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Selik?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Selik 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 31,159,485 US residents.
Is Selik a common name?
We classify Selik as "Very Rare". It ranks above 30.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Selik most popular?
The single biggest year for Selik was 2020, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Selik is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Selik in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Selik a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Selik in the SSA data are male. 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.
Is Selik still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Selik in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Selik can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Selik?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.