Boys' name · since 1882
Seldon
Seldon has 988 recorded births since 1882 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1916 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #5,178 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 988
- born since 1882
- 1920s
- peak decade
Seldon is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 988 have been recorded since 1882.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Seldon has been recorded 988 times among boys since 1882, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1882 to 2006.
- #5,178 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 988 born since 1882
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Seldon ranks #5,178 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 988 born since 1882, peaking in the 1920s.
- #5,178 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 988
- born since 1882
- 1920s
- peak decade
Seldon's 988 recorded births place it above 88.61% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 3 jurisdictions, led by Kentucky.
Seldon's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Seldon's full recorded timeline at 1945, 32% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 68% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1882, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1916 peak of 35 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Seldon popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1882–2006
- Peak year (1916)
- 35
- Annual births at peak, across 125 years of records
Seldon by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (224 births, 23% of the file).
1920s was Seldon's strongest decade.
224 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Seldon births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 12
1880s
12 births
- 1890s 14
1890s
14 births
- 1900s 16
1900s
16 births
- 1910s
1910s
173 births
- 1920s
1920s
224 births
- 1930s
1930s
161 births
- 1940s
1940s
128 births
- 1950s 89
1950s
89 births
- 1960s 58
1960s
58 births
- 1970s 51
1970s
51 births
- 1980s 17
1980s
17 births
- 1990s 26
1990s
26 births
- 2000s 19
2000s
19 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 224 births (23% of all-time use).
How Seldon compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Seldon's total volume
Seldon by state
Where Seldon concentrates geographically, total births since 1882
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Kentucky | | 96 | 9.7% |
| #2 | Alabama | | 7 | 0.7% |
| #3 | Virginia | | 5 | 0.5% |
96 of 988 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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When was Seldon most popular? ▼
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What to do with Seldon's data
- Seldon's decade-level peak was the 1920s (224 total births); usage has since declined to 19 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Kentucky records the most Seldons (96 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Kentucky names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Seldon
Nearby Names Like Seldon
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Seldon
Compare Seldon side by side: Seldon vs Selvin Seldon vs Selwyn Seldon 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 Seldon: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1916)
Similar record span (~124 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, 1882–2006 (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 Seldon 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.