Selah
2025 SSA
2025 SSA
About Selah
The name is derived from the term commonly used in the Book of Psalms, which has a many Hebrew scholars in confusion over its meaning. Given its context in the Bible, Selah is likely to mean "to praise" or "pause and reflect upon what has just been said." Lauryn Hill used this name for her daughter. It is the last word in Anita Diamant's novel The Red Tent.
Selah is also given to boys, where it ranks #6741 in the US.
Pronounced SEE-luh.
As of October 2026, Selah ranked #216 in US births in 2025 SSA, Nameberry popularity #185.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #540 | 577 | 323 |
| 2015 | #461 | 690 | 386.5 |
| 2016 | #464 | 688 | 388.3 |
| 2017 | #457 | 694 | 402 |
| 2018 | #432 | 732 | 430.3 |
| 2019 | #445 | 701 | 417.7 |
| 2020 | #425 | 722 | 446.6 |
| 2021 | #381 | 822 | 501 |
| 2022 | #358 | 884 | 539 |
| 2023 | #301 | 1,024 | 638.2 |
| 2024 | #280 | 1,122 | 692.5 |
| 2025 | #216 | 1,416 | 881 |
World rankings
Selah for girls
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Selah.
Selah on lists
Famous Selahs
- Selah Sue (born Sanne Greet A. Putseys)Girl
Belgian singer,songwriter
- Selah Louise Marley (b. 1998)Girl
daughter of singer Lauryn Hill
- Selah Brewster Strong IIIBoy
Husband of Anna Strong, only female meber of George Washington's Culper Spy Ring.
- Selah B. StrongBoy
American lawyer and politician from New York. Served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Grandson of Selah Brewster Strong III and Anna Strong.
Selah in pop culture
- Selah TarrantGirl
Verena's mother in The Bostonians (1886) by Henry James
- SelahGirl
contemporary Christian vocal band
- Selah StrongGirl
male character on TV's "Turn"
- "SelahGirl
" song by Lauryn Hill
- "SelahGirl
" song by Emeli Sande
- "SelahGirl
" song by Kanye West