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Why parents love Selah- Selah appears 71 times in the Psalms — deeply sacred.
- The meaning pause and reflect is profoundly contemplative.
- Two syllables with a peaceful sound: SEH-lah.
- Lauryn Hill chose it — maximum musical credibility.
- It's one of the most mysterious and beautiful biblical words.
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The vibe of Selah
pausereflectPsalmsmysteriousHillinterludesacredbetween-notes
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Origin & history of Selah
Hebrew סֶלָה (Selah, pause/reflect, exact meaning debated)
→ English Selah
1
Biblical / Hebrew roots
Selah appears 71 times in the Book of Psalms as a musical or liturgical direction. Its exact meaning is debated — it may mean pause, reflect, or forever. Lauryn Hill named her daughter Selah. The word occupies a unique place in scripture as something everyone reads but no one fully understands.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Biblical — appears 71 times in the Psalms.
3
Today
Selah remains a beloved choice, ranking #400 in the US. 13,941 babies have been named Selah since 1962.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, Book of Psalms, SSA data
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How popular is Selah?
2024
peak year
Selah is on the rise. After years out of the spotlight, it has been gaining ground with U.S. parents in the most recent decade. It currently ranks around #400, with about 818 babies named Selah each year. In 2024, 1,122 babies received the name (ranked #280). Total registrations across all years since 1880: roughly 13,941.
Year-by-year registrations
1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
1,122
Babies named in peak year
(ranked #280)
(ranked #280)
818
Avg. per year
(last decade)
(last decade)
8,180
Total registrations
last 10 years
last 10 years
13,941
All-time total
(since 1880)
(since 1880)
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Numerology of Selah9
Life path number
The Humanitarian
Compassion, wisdom and humanitarianism.
Selah's Life Path 7 is the seeker's number — seeking in the pause. People named Selah tend to be contemplative, mysterious, and gifted at finding meaning in silence.
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Finds meaning in silence✦
Contemplative mystery◈
Between-notes wisdom◎
71-times sacred♡
Psalm-level depthS1
E5
L3
A1
H8
Sum: 18 → Life path 9
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Personality of Selah🌍
Compassionate soul
They carry the weight of the world with grace.
🎨
Richly creative
Deep feeling translates into deep art.
🌟
Old soul wisdom
They've always seemed wiser than their years.
💝
Unconditional love
Their love is vast and forgiving.
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Famous people named SelahClick any name to view their Wikipedia page.
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If you like Selah, you may also love♩
Names that combine with SelahSibling pairings that share the timeless, classic energy of Selah.
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Middle names for SelahThe right middle name turns Selah into a complete story. Explore options for first-and-middle pairings, then last-name flow.
Want a personalised middle name for Selah? Try our dedicated generator with 1,000+ pairings.
♡ Generate middle name for Selah →✦
Numerology life path calculatorEnter any full name and date of birth to discover the life path number — a core numerological indicator of personality, purpose and destiny.
First name
Middle name (optional)
Last name
Date of birth
7
Life path number
How we calculated this
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