Sela
Girl name · #4685 in 2025 · Uniqueness 62/100
In 2025, 29 baby girls were named Sela, placing it at #4685 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #4725, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 62,069 girls born in 2025 was named Sela.
Babies named Sela per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 75-year story
Sela first appears in the Social Security records in 1950, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2000, when 81 girls were named Sela — good for #2034 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Sela against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Sela in class?
Sela scores 62 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Sela is most common
State-level data for Sela is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Sela
Statistically, parents drawn to Sela tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Anela, Izabela, Ajla, Aniela, and Sadia.
AnelaIzabelaAjlaAnielaSadiaSheylaTaylaEnya
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Sela | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29 | #4661 |
| 2024 | 35 | #4114 |
| 2023 | 26 | #4999 |
| 2022 | 24 | #5309 |
| 2021 | 21 | #5748 |
| 2020 | 19 | #6083 |
| 2019 | 27 | #4909 |
| 2018 | 45 | #3438 |
| 2017 | 27 | #4922 |
| 2016 | 22 | #5796 |
| 2015 | 29 | #4725 |
| 2014 | 34 | #4269 |
| 2013 | 29 | #4755 |
| 2012 | 37 | #4047 |
| 2011 | 43 | #3603 |
| 2010 | 31 | #4608 |
| 2009 | 50 | #3298 |
| 2008 | 51 | #3267 |
| 2007 | 63 | #2858 |
| 2006 | 68 | #2631 |
| 2005 | 64 | #2636 |
| 2004 | 47 | #3224 |
| 2003 | 64 | #2522 |
| 2002 | 61 | #2554 |
| 2001 | 66 | #2379 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Sela a popular girl name?
Sela ranked #4685 among girls in 2025 with 29 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4725.
When was the name Sela most popular?
Sela peaked in 2000, when 81 American girls received the name (ranked #2034 that year). Since 2000 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Sela?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 62,069 newborn American girls was named Sela. It scores 62/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.