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Home › Baby Names Directory › Selby

Selby

♀ Girl

Pronounced SEL-bee /ˈsɛl.bi/High

Meaning: From the Yorkshire town and English surname Selby, generally derived from Old Norse selja ('willow') plus byr ('farm; settlement'): 'willow farm'. As a first name it is a modern surname borrowing and is unisex, with a boy-lean, which we note honestly.Low

In 30 seconds: Selby is an English surname and Yorkshire town meaning 'willow farm' (said 'SEL-bee'). Unisex with a boy-lean, which we note.
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Origin MediumEnglish, Old Norse
MeaningFrom the Yorkshire town and English surname Selby, generally derived from Old Norse selja ('willow') plus byr ('farm; settlement'): 'willow farm'. As a first name it is a modern surname borrowing and is unisex, with a boy-lean, which we note honestly.
U.S. rank (2024)#14943 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1997
Total births (all-time)≈ 293

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199719302024

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Selby is an English surname taken from the Yorkshire town, whose name is Old Norse — selja, 'willow', and byr, 'farm; settlement': the willow farm. It came into first-name use the way most surnames do, and it remains unisex, with heavier use for boys, which we note honestly. For girls it reads as a fresh, tomboyish surname pick (said 'SEL-bee').

For girls it appears only rarely in the U.S., beside heavier boys' use. Rare, brisk, and surname-style.

Did you know? Selby is a market town in Yorkshire, and its name is Norse: selja, willow, plus byr, farm. Vikings settled the area and left their word for the trees along the water. As a first name it is unisex and leans to boys, which we note honestly.
Overall data confidence 50%
References — Selby — English surname/place (Yorkshire); Old Norse selja + byr 'willow farm'; unisex, boy-leaning

Variations

SelbiSelbeyShelby

Nicknames

SelBee

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Selby…

Shelby— the near-namesake and better-known cousin
Darby— a like unisex surname pick
Ellery— a like crisp surname-style choice
Libby— a similarly popular pick
Toby— a fellow English choice

Explore names like Selby

By themeenglishplace-namesurnamecross-sex

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Selby mean?

Selby means 'willow farm' — from Old Norse selja ('willow') and byr ('farm'), by way of the Yorkshire town and surname.

How do you pronounce Selby?

It's said SEL-bee /ˈsɛl.bi/ — two beats, stress on the first.

Is Selby a boy or girl name?

Selby is unisex and leans to boys; it is used here for a girl, which we note.

How popular is Selby?

Selby is a very rare given name for girls in the U.S., with heavier use for boys.

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