Selim
Boy name · #2626 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Selim? In official American birth records, Selim has been tracked continuously since 1971, giving it 54 years of documented American history.
Selim ranks #2626 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 50 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2328, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 36,000 boys born in 2025 was named Selim.
Babies named Selim per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 54-year story
Selim first appears in the Social Security records in 1971, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2017, when 78 boys were named Selim — good for #1871 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 Selim against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Selim in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Selim is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Selim will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Selim is most common
State-level data for Selim is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Selim
Statistically, parents drawn to Selim tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Salim, Tamim, Taim, Alim, and Slate.
SalimTamimTaimAlimSlateSabirSudaisSamar
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Selim | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 50 | #2604 |
| 2024 | 64 | #2236 |
| 2023 | 54 | #2480 |
| 2022 | 59 | #2379 |
| 2021 | 56 | #2410 |
| 2020 | 50 | #2546 |
| 2019 | 74 | #1974 |
| 2018 | 75 | #1959 |
| 2017 | 78 | #1871 |
| 2016 | 62 | #2184 |
| 2015 | 56 | #2328 |
| 2014 | 59 | #2256 |
| 2013 | 30 | #3497 |
| 2012 | 26 | #3894 |
| 2011 | 26 | #3885 |
| 2010 | 18 | #5047 |
| 2009 | 15 | #5800 |
| 2008 | 16 | #5487 |
| 2007 | 9 | #8173 |
| 2006 | 13 | #6094 |
| 2005 | 13 | #5875 |
| 2004 | 11 | #6520 |
| 2003 | 16 | #4815 |
| 2002 | 10 | #6522 |
| 2001 | 9 | #6935 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Selim?
In official American birth records, the name Selim first appeared in 1971 (over 54 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 54 years.
Is Selim a popular boy name?
Selim ranked #2626 among boys in 2025 with 50 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2328.
When was the name Selim most popular?
Selim peaked in 2017, when 78 American boys received the name (ranked #1871 that year). Since 2017 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Selim?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 36,000 newborn American boys was named Selim. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.