Selma
Meaning of Selma
Selma is a small name with a wide-open passport. Born from the old Germanic root of Anselma, “god’s protection,” and twinned with the Arabic Salma, “peace and safety,” she stands for shelter and calm wherever she travels. In Spanish-speaking ears, Selma rolls off the tongue con un aire de serenidad, warm and bright like a summer sunrise. History pins badges on her lapel: Nobel-winning Swedish author Selma Lagerlöf, fearless pathbreaker; the city of Selma, Alabama, a landmark of civil-rights courage; modern muses such as actress Selma Blair. Each story adds a ribbon of valor, artistry, or hope. Short, spirited, and softly musical, Selma feels familiar yet freshly vintage—perfect for parents who want a name that whispers comfort while hinting at adventure.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as SEL-muh (/sɛlmə/)
German
- Pronunced as ZEL-mah (/ˈzɛlma/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Selma
| Selma Blair is an American actress known for her roles in Cruel Intentions, Legally Blonde, The Sweetest Thing, and the Hellboy films. |
| Selma Lagerlöf - Selma Lagerlof was a Swedish writer and the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1909. |
| Selma Burke was an American sculptor of the Harlem Renaissance best known for her portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt. |
| Selma James is an American writer and feminist activist known for championing wages for housework and women's rights worldwide. |
| Selma Neubacher Steele was an American educator and writer known for creating the gardens at her Indiana home, now the T. C. Steele State Historic Site. |
| Selma Jeanne Cohen was a dance historian, teacher, and author who founded and edited the International Encyclopedia of Dance. |
| Selma Engel-Wijnberg was a Dutch Jewish Holocaust survivor who escaped Sobibor during the 1943 uprising and later testified against Nazi war criminals. |
| Selma Diamond was a Canadian American actress, comedian, and writer best known for her raspy voice and role as Selma Hacker on Night Court. |
| Selma Al-Radi was an Iraqi archaeologist celebrated for restoring the Amiriya Madrasa using local workers and traditional methods. |
| Selma van de Perre-Velleman was a Dutch-British resistance fighter who served as a courier during World War II. |
| Selma Meerbaum-Eisinger was a Romanian-born Jewish poet who wrote in German and died at 18 in a Holocaust labor camp in Ukraine. |
| Selma Fine Goldsmith - Selma Goldsmith was an American economic statistician known for accurately estimating how personal income was distributed among Americans. |
| Selma Bacha is a French footballer who plays as a left-back or left winger for Lyon and the France national team. |
| Selma DeBakey was an American professor who helped doctors write clearly and communicate medical information to patients. |
| Selma Elloumi Rekik is a Tunisian businesswoman and politician from Tunis who joined Al Amal after belonging to Nidaa Tounes. |
