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The short answer
Selah is not a traditional given name but a Hebrew musical term that occurs many times in the Old Testament Book of Psalms. Behind the Name says it was "probably meant to indicate a musical pause", making its use as a modern first name a case of a liturgical word being adopted as a name rather than a name with its own independent history. Pronounced SEE-lə, it ranked #216 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
Behind the Name describes Selah as coming "from a Hebrew musical term that occurs many times in the Old Testament Psalms", adding that it "was probably meant to indicate a musical pause". The entry records no earlier use of Selah as a personal name and no notable bearers, treating it purely as a scriptural term that has crossed over into given-name use.
Editorial confidence: likely
Linguistic roots
| Language | Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Hebrew | סֶלָה (Selah) | probably: a musical pause |
Popularity
Selah ranked #216 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, according to the Social Security Administration.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #216 | ssa-2025 |
Nicknames, variants, and related names
Nicknames: None documented.
Variants: None documented.
Related names: None documented.
What the name feels like
Selah belongs to a small class of names taken directly from scripture rather than from a biblical person's name, giving it a devotional, meditative quality distinct from names like Sarah or Rachel.
Style tags: biblical, word name, devotional, modern
Editorial interpretation: This style framing is editorial opinion. The Psalms origin and 'musical pause' meaning are documented fact; the description of its 'meditative quality' is subjective.
If you like this name
Editorial picks for readers drawn to Selah's biblical word-name status.
Similar by origin
Similar by sound
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Selah mean?
Selah is a Hebrew musical term found throughout the Book of Psalms, probably meant to indicate a pause in the music; it is not a traditional personal name.
Is Selah a name in the Bible?
The word Selah appears many times in the Psalms, but as a musical or liturgical marker rather than as the name of a biblical person.
Is Selah a popular name?
Selah ranked #216 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Selah — supports etymology, pronunciation.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
