Selah as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Selah

What is the meaning of the name Selah ?

The baby name Selah is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced ˈsɛlə (SELL-uh),ˈseɪlə (SAY-luh).

Selah is Hebrew in Origin.

Selah is a Hebrew liturgical term appearing frequently in the Psalms and in Habakkuk (Hebrew: סֶלָה, selāh). Its exact sense is debated, but most scholars view it as a musical or poetic direction - “pause,” “interlude,” or “lift up” (possibly from a root meaning “to raise” or “to weigh”). It can thus be read as an invitation to reflect or to amplify praise. English Bibles carried the word untranslated, which helped it enter naming traditions with a contemplative, worshipful aura.

As a given name, Selah surfaced in English-speaking communities under Puritan influence, then experienced a modern revival from the late 20th century, chiefly in the United States. It is used for both sexes but now leans feminine. Common pronunciations are SEE-lah and SAY-lah. Variants and near-forms include Sela (distinct in Hebrew as “rock”), Sayla, Seila, and less commonly Selahh; nicknames are rare beyond Sel.