Total births
1,023
Boys' name · since 1971
Selim
Selim has 1,023 recorded births since 1971 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2017 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2246
- among boys today
- 1,023
- born since 1971
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 84%
- more common than other boys
Selim currently ranks #2246 among boys' names in America, with 1,023 babies recorded since 1971.
Social Security Administration records show Selim recorded 1,023 times among boys since 1971, holding rank #2246 nationally today, ahead of 84% of boys, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1971 to 2025.
- #2246 among boys today
- 1,023 born since 1971
- 2010s peak decade
- 84% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Selim is currently the #2246 boys' name in America, more common than 84% of boys - 1,023 born since 1971, peaking in the 2010s.
- #2246
- among boys today
- 1,023
- born since 1971
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 84%
- more common than other boys
Selim vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2246
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 84% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
49% of everyone ever named Selim was born in this single decade.
2017
Single peak year
78 babies were named Selim in 2017 - its busiest year on record.
How Selim compares
1,023 Top 30% higher than 70% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Selim's all-time total is 179% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Selim | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,023 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 78 | 23 | 22,252 |
Selim's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Selim's full recorded timeline at 2008, 85% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 15% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1971, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2017 peak of 78 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Selim at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2017
Current rank
#2,246
Active since
1971
Selim popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1971–2025
- Peak year (2017)
- 78
- Annual births at peak, across 55 years of records
Selim by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Selim's strongest decade.
504 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 49% of all-time use.
Selim births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 12
1970s
12 births
- 1980s 17
1980s
17 births
- 1990s 33
1990s
33 births
- 2000s 124
2000s
124 births
- 2010s
2010s
504 births
- 2020s
2020s
333 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 504 births (49% of all-time use).
How Selim 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 Selim's total volume
Selim vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Selim by state
Where Selim concentrates geographically, total births since 1971
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 164 | 16.0% |
| #2 | California | | 129 | 12.6% |
| #3 | Florida | | 81 | 7.9% |
| #4 | New Jersey | | 63 | 6.2% |
| #5 | Texas | | 45 | 4.4% |
| #6 | Virginia | | 16 | 1.6% |
| #7 | Michigan | | 5 | 0.5% |
New York share of Selim's total US births 16.0%
Even split
164 of 1,023 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 7 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Selim? ▼
Selim has been given to 1,023 babies in the U.S. since 1971, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #2246 as of the latest data. 78 babies were born in 2017, its single highest year.
When was Selim most popular? ▼
Selim was most popular in the 2010s decade with 504 total births. The single peak year was 2017.
Where is Selim most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Selim are New York (164 births), California (129 births), Florida (81 births).
How long has the name Selim been used? ▼
Selim has been recorded in Social Security data since 1971, spanning 55 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Selim? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Selvin, Selwyn, Seldon, Selmer, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Selim's data
- Selim's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (504 total births) through the 2020s (333) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- New York records the most Selims (164 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Selim
Nearby Names Like Selim
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Selim
Selvin Boy
#2450 1,548 births
Selwyn Boy
#8352 1,408 births
Seldon Boy
988 births
Selmer Boy
759 births
Selby Boy
688 births
Compare Selim side by side: Selim vs Selvin Selim vs Selwyn Selim vs Seldon
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Selim
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1971–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Selim: #2246 Boys' Name - 1,023 Births, Peak 2017." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/selim. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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 Selim 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 June 2026.