Selma
Meaning of Selma
Selma is a feminine name with various origins and associations. The name Selma has the same pronunciation in both American English and British English, pronounced as SEL-muh (/sɛlmə/). In German, it is pronounced as ZEL-mah (/ˈzɛlma/). Another variation of the name is Salma.
The popularity of the name Selma in the United States has varied over the years. In recent years, it has been moderately popular, ranking between 2000 and 3000 in terms of occurrence. However, it was more popular in previous decades, reaching its peak in the early 1960s when it ranked within the top 100 names for newborn girls.
The origin of the name Selma can be traced back to multiple cultures. It is derived from an Old Norse word meaning "helmet of protection" or "godly helmet." In Arabic, Selma means "peaceful," while in Turkish it translates to "safe" or "protected."
The name Selma carries historical significance as well. It gained prominence through its association with civil rights activist and leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous march from Selma to Montgomery in Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement in 1965.
Overall, Selma is a versatile and meaningful name with diverse cultural origins and historical associations that make it a unique choice for parents looking for a baby girl's name.
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 recognized for her performances in Cruel Intentions, Legally Blonde, The Sweetest Thing, and the Hellboy franchise. |
| Selma Lagerlöf - Selma Ottilia Lovisa Lagerlöf, a Swedish writer, was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature and the first woman to be granted a membership in the Swedish Academy. |
| Selma Hortense Burke was an American sculptor known for her bas relief portrait of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and her public art featuring prominent African-American figures. |
| Selma James is an American writer, feminist, and social activist known for her work in the women's movement and as a co-founder of the International Wages for Housework Campaign. |
| Selma Neubacher Steele was an American educator and writer known for her efforts in landscaping and establishing gardens at the House of the Singing Winds, the Steele home and studio in Brown County, Indiana. |
| Selma Jeanne Cohen was a historian, teacher, author, and editor who advocated for dance as an art form and founded the International Encyclopedia of Dance. |
| Selma Engel-Wijnberg was a Dutch Jewish Holocaust survivor who escaped from the Sobibor extermination camp and later immigrated to the United States. |
| Selma Diamond was a Canadian-born American comedian, actress, and writer known for her distinctive voice and roles on Night Court and The Dick Van Dyke Show. |
| Selma Al-Radi was an Iraqi archaeologist known for leading the restoration of the Amiriya Madrasa, a potential UNESCO World Heritage Site. |
| Selma van de Perre-Velleman was a Dutch-British resistance fighter and courier during the Second World War. |
| Selma Meerbaum-Eisinger was a Romanian-born German-language poet who tragically perished in the Holocaust at the age of 18. |
| Selma Fine Goldsmith - Selma Evelyn Fine Goldsmith was an American economic statistician known for accurately estimating the personal income distribution of Americans. |
| Selma Lena Bacha is a French professional footballer known for her role as a left-back or left winger for Division 1 Féminine club Lyon and the France national team. |
| Selma DeBakey was a Lebanese-American professor at Baylor College of Medicine who significantly contributed to the field of medical writing and editing, working alongside her siblings, Lois and Michael DeBakey. |
| Selma Elloumi Rekik is a Tunisian businesswoman and politician, originally from Tunis, who has been associated with Nidaa Tounes and Al Amal. |
