Boys' name · since 1911
Selden
Selden has 373 recorded births since 1911 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1927 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #9,416 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 373
- born since 1911
- 1920s
- peak decade
Selden sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 373 recorded since 1911.
Social Security Administration records show Selden recorded 373 times among boys since 1911, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1911 to 1978.
- #9,416 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 373 born since 1911
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Selden ranks #9,416 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 373 born since 1911, peaking in the 1920s.
- #9,416 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 373
- born since 1911
- 1920s
- peak decade
Selden's 373 recorded births place it above 79.29% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Selden's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Selden splits its recorded history at 1933: 39% of all births land in the more recent half, 61% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1911 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1927 peak of 16 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Selden popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1911–1978
- Peak year (1927)
- 16
- Annual births at peak, across 68 years of records
Selden by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (115 births, 31% of the file).
1920s was Selden's strongest decade.
115 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 31% of all-time use.
Selden births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
83 births
- 1920s
1920s
115 births
- 1930s
1930s
73 births
- 1940s
1940s
67 births
- 1950s 19
1950s
19 births
- 1960s 11
1960s
11 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 115 births (31% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Selden's data
- Selden's decade-level peak was the 1920s (115 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1970s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Selden
Nearby Names Like Selden
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Selden
Compare Selden side by side: Selden vs Selvin Selden vs Selwyn Selden vs Selim
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Selden: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1927)
Similar record span (~67 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1911–1978 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Selden draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.