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Home › Baby Names Directory › Selima

Selima

♀ Girl

Pronounced seh-LEE-mah /sɛˈliː.mə/Medium

Meaning: A form of the Arabic Salima, 'safe; sound; peaceful; whole,' from the peace-root of salaam; the Selima spelling also appears in Hebrew and literary use. Warm and gentle.Low

In 30 seconds: A gentle name: Selima forms Salima, 'safe; peaceful' (said 'seh-LEE-mah'). Warm and soft.
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Origin MediumArabic, Hebrew
MeaningA form of the Arabic Salima, 'safe; sound; peaceful; whole,' from the peace-root of salaam; the Selima spelling also appears in Hebrew and literary use. Warm and gentle.
U.S. rank (2016)#18426 ↗ Rising
2016 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1977
Total births (all-time)≈ 50

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 197719742016

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

Selima forms the Arabic Salima, 'safe; peaceful; whole.' It reads warm and gentle — rare in the U.S. (said 'seh-LEE-mah').

In the U.S. it appears rarely. Rare, gentle, and warm.

Did you know? Selima is a form of the Arabic Salima, 'safe; sound; peaceful,' from the peace-root of salaam; the spelling also appears in Hebrew and older literature (said 'seh-LEE-mah').
Overall data confidence 44%
References — Selima — Salima form; Arabic 'safe; peaceful'; also Hebrew

Variations

SalimaSelimahSelyma

Nicknames

SeliLima

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Selima…

Salima— the standard Arabic form
Salma— a short cousin form
Selina— a like soft -ina name
Amina— a like gentle Arabic name

Explore names like Selima

By themearabicwarmgentlepeace

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Selima mean?

Selima is a form of the Arabic Salima, 'safe; sound; peaceful; whole'; the spelling also appears in Hebrew and literary use.

How do you pronounce Selima?

It's said seh-LEE-mah /sɛˈliː.mə/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Selima a boy or girl name?

Selima is a girl's name.

How popular is Selima?

Selima is a very rare name in the U.S.

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