The Art of Literary Nomenclature

ORIGIN:
Unknown origin; possibly a shortened form of “Anselma”, a feminine form of the Germanic “Anselm”, meaning “divine helmet” or “protection of the gods”.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Anselma, Ellie, Elly, Elma, Salma, Sellie, Selly, Selmah, Selme, Zellie, Zelly, Zelma, Zelmah, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Selma, the Nathanmeyer’s maid, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).

WRITERS:
– Selma Lagerlöf (1858-1940), Swedish author and Nobel Prize winner.

Tagged: 1850s, 1890s, 1910s, Danish, English, German, Norwegian, S, Swedish, Unknown

§ One Response to Selma

• Everything Old is New Again, Vol. III | The Art of Literary Nomenclature says:

  August 30, 2015 at 9:21 am

  […] Marjorie, Maude, Mercy, Millie, Olive, Pearl, Penny, Rosemary, Rosie, Ruby, Ruth / Ruthie, Sadie, Selma, Thelma, Veda, Vera, and […]

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