Selma

/ˈsɛlmə/

//ˈsɛlmə// name

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"selma" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Selma” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #23,987 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#23,987
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A female given name.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Selma vs sem
40% similar
Selma vs SMA
20% similar
Selma vs SLA
20% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Selma
PropertyValue
HeadwordSelma
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈsɛlmə/
Letters5
Frequency rank#23,987
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Selma” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Selma lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for Selma is 5 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈsɛlmə/. Corpus data places it at rank #23,987 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 16 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for Selma, with forms such as "eslma", "selam", and "sellma". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "sem", "SMA", "SLA", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Taken to use in the 19th century when similar-sounding names, Elma, Thelma, Alma, Wilma, etc. were in vogue. Perhaps a shortening of Anselma, or from the name of a place in the James Macpherson's Ossian cycle of epic poems, itself from Scottish Gaelic seall… The correct English form is Selma, spelled S-E-L-M-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    A female given name.
  2. 2
    A surname.
  3. 3
    A placename
  4. 4
    A placename
  5. 5
    A placename
  6. 6
    A placename
  7. 7
    A placename
  8. 8
    A placename
  9. 9
    A placename
  10. 10
    A placename
  11. 11
    A placename
  12. 12
    A placename
  13. 13
    A placename
  14. 14
    A placename
  15. 15
    A placename
  16. 16
    A placename

Etymology

Taken to use in the 19th century when similar-sounding names, Elma, Thelma, Alma, Wilma, etc. were in vogue. Perhaps a shortening of Anselma, or from the name of a place in the James Macpherson's Ossian cycle of epic poems, itself from Scottish Gaelic sealladh + math (“good vision”). In some cases perhaps borrowed from Turkish Selma, from Arabic سَلْمَى (salmā).

This word in other languages

Salma(Español)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: eslma,selam,sellma,selmma,semla,slema,sselma

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Selma - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

eslma2selam2sellma1selmma1semla2slema2sselma1
Edit distance from "Selma"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Selma"?
"Selma" is spelled S-E-L-M-A. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɛlmə/.
What does "Selma" mean?
As a proper noun, "Selma" means: A female given name.
What words are commonly confused with "Selma"?
"Selma" is commonly confused with "sem", "SMA", "SLA". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Selma"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Selma" is /ˈsɛlmə/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "Selma"?
Taken to use in the 19th century when similar-sounding names, Elma, Thelma, Alma, Wilma, etc. were in vogue. Perhaps a shortening of Anselma, or from the name of a place in the James Macpherson's Ossian cycle of epic poems, itself from Scottish Ga... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Selma”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-E-L-M-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈsɛlmə/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “sem” - see the side-by-side comparison. Selma vs sem
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list