Total births
1,408
Boys' name · since 1904
Selwyn
Selwyn has 1,408 recorded births since 1904 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1961 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #8352
- among boys today
- 1,408
- born since 1904
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 42%
- more common than other boys
1,408 babies have been named Selwyn since 1904, making it today's #8352 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Selwyn has been recorded 1,408 times among boys since 1904, currently ranked #8352 nationally and more common than 42% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1960s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1904 to 2025.
- #8352 among boys today
- 1,408 born since 1904
- 1960s peak decade
- 42% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Selwyn is currently the #8352 boys' name in America, more common than 42% of boys - 1,408 born since 1904, peaking in the 1960s.
- #8352
- among boys today
- 1,408
- born since 1904
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 42%
- more common than other boys
Selwyn vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#8352
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 42% of names given to boys today.
1960s
Peak decade
18% of everyone ever named Selwyn was born in this single decade.
1961
Single peak year
38 babies were named Selwyn in 1961 - its busiest year on record.
How Selwyn compares
1,408 Top 26% higher than 74% 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
Selwyn's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Selwyn | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,408 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 38 | 23 | 22,252 |
Selwyn's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Selwyn's SSA record in two at 1966 and the more recent half accounts for 42% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 58%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1913, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1961 peak of 38, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Selwyn at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1961
Current rank
#8,352
Active since
1904
Selwyn popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1904–2025
- Peak year (1961)
- 38
- Annual births at peak, across 122 years of records
Selwyn popularity over time - girls
10 total births recorded since 1924 (Selwyn as girls' name)
Selwyn by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Selwyn's strongest decade.
258 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.
Selwyn births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 6
1900s
6 births
- 1910s 85
1910s
85 births
- 1920s
1920s
195 births
- 1930s
1930s
134 births
- 1940s 71
1940s
71 births
- 1950s
1950s
141 births
- 1960s
1960s
258 births
- 1970s
1970s
129 births
- 1980s
1980s
125 births
- 1990s
1990s
130 births
- 2000s 58
2000s
58 births
- 2010s 61
2010s
61 births
- 2020s 15
2020s
15 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 258 births (18% of all-time use).
How Selwyn 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 Selwyn's total volume
Selwyn vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Selwyn by state
Where Selwyn concentrates geographically, total births since 1904
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 160 | 11.4% |
| #2 | Illinois | | 10 | 0.7% |
| #3 | Texas | | 6 | 0.4% |
| #4 | Virginia | | 5 | 0.4% |
New York share of Selwyn's total US births 11.4%
Even split
160 of 1,408 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Selwyn? ▼
1,408 babies have been named Selwyn since 1904. It currently ranks #8352 among boys. The peak year was 1961 with 38 births.
When was Selwyn most popular? ▼
Selwyn was most popular in the 1960s decade with 258 total births. The single peak year was 1961.
Where is Selwyn most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Selwyn are New York (160 births), Illinois (10 births), Texas (6 births).
How long has the name Selwyn been used? ▼
Records for Selwyn go back to 1904, giving 122 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Selwyn? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Selvin, Selim, Seldon, Selmer, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Selwyn's data
- Selwyn's decade-level peak was the 1960s (258 total births); usage has since declined to 15 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Selwyns (160 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 Selwyn
Nearby Names Like Selwyn
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Selwyn
Selvin Boy
#2450 1,548 births
Selim Boy
#2246 1,023 births
Seldon Boy
988 births
Selmer Boy
759 births
Selby Boy
688 births
Compare Selwyn side by side: Selwyn vs Selvin Selwyn vs Selim Selwyn vs Seldon
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Selwyn
Gerry #8351
14,468 births · Peak 1958
Bolton #8353
244 births · Peak 2017
Porfirio #8350
3,526 births · Peak 1921
Eligh #8354
1,019 births · Peak 2014
Mel #8349
3,693 births · Peak 1958
Florentino #8355
3,105 births · Peak 1992
Lemar #8348
1,895 births · Peak 1979
Blanton #8356
491 births · Peak 1921
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, 1904–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Selwyn: #8352 Boys' Name - 1,408 Births, Peak 1961." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/selwyn. 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 Selwyn 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.