How old is someone named Selma?
The average Selma is 48 years old.
Half of all living Selmas are between 19 and 75. The average sits between a large older group and a younger one, so many Selmas are much older than 48.
When was Selma popular?
Selma peaked in 1918 and has been given less and less ever since. Only 61 babies got the name in 2025.
Popular names of 1918 · The most popular names of the 1910s →
Show the numbers by decade
| Born in | Babies born | Alive today |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 2,407 | 0 |
| 1910s | 5,863 | 0 |
| 1920s | 6,851 | 110 |
| 1930s | 2,950 | 530 |
| 1940s | 1,369 | 760 |
| 1950s | 1,084 | 840 |
| 1960s | 686 | 600 |
| 1970s | 251 | 240 |
| 1980s | 225 | 220 |
| 1990s | 398 | 390 |
| 2000s | 956 | 950 |
| 2010s | 882 | 870 |
| 2020s | 405 | 410 |
How many Selmas are still alive?
About 5,900 Selmas are alive in the US today. That's 22% of the roughly 27,000 babies named Selma since 1880.
Most Selmas ever born have died: the name was most popular in 1918, long enough ago that many of those babies are gone.
What generation is the name Selma?
About one in four living Selmas are Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964.
Is Selma an old name?
Yes. Selma is older than 76 in 100 names on AgeByName.
Looking ahead: if babies keep getting the name at today's pace, the typical Selma will be 39 in 2056, so its average age will actually fall, as the youngest Selmas make up more of the total.
Is Selma a boy or girl name?
Almost entirely girls: 99.3% of living Selmas are women.
Names the same age as Selma
NAME TWIN
Selma's name twin is Pearl. Of all 3,713 names on AgeByName, Pearl's age curve is the closest match to Selma's: 87% alike.
Think you can guess a Ashley's age?
Ten names, one slider each. Share your score.
Questions about the name Selma
How old is the average Selma?
The average Selma in the US is 48 years old. The median is 53, so half are older and half younger.
How many people are named Selma?
About 5,900 Selmas are alive in the US today, out of roughly 27,000 babies given the name since 1880.
When was the name Selma most popular?
In 1918, when about 810 baby girls were named Selma.
Is Selma a Boomer name?
Partly. Baby Boomers are the largest group, about 26% of living Selmas, but the name spans several generations.
Estimates from Social Security Administration baby-name records (births 1880–2025) and SSA cohort life tables (2026 Trustees Report). Updated each spring. How we calculate this