Message: "Selah" - Behind the Name

[Opinions] Selah

by Higuma Kanora

6/17/2019, 8:57 PM

WDYT of Selah? pronounced 'SEE-la'

Just heard this name on the news on a young girl who made history climbing the El Capitan in Yosemite and thought it was so charming. Any combos come to mind?

#Selah

Replies

- ari.

6/19/2019, 2:15 PM

To me, the pronunciation is completely counterintuitive. I'd pronounce it SEHL-ə.

- persimmon (foxgloves)

6/19/2019, 8:10 AM

really lovely

going by the other pronunciation-

Selah Phoebe
Selah Merav
Selah Vivian
Selah Tova
Selah Paz
Selah Abigail
Selah Calliope
Selah Olena

- Kaesy +2

6/18/2019, 8:18 AM

I can't really get into it on account of we have no idea what Selah means. Like, basically it's just like if you picked some word off the notations in sheet music, like 'legato' or something, only Italian was a dead language and this was the only context we saw legato in anymore and weren't sure why it was there, but it's probably related to music right? Say what you will about Kim K naming her kid Psalm, at least we know what a psalm is.

- persimmon (foxgloves)

6/19/2019, 8:00 AM

it's not so much that it has no meaning, as much it's an untranslateable word with multiple interpretations that many religious scholars have written about. which in itself gives it meaning and significance. it's nothing like Kayla or a random cutesy sounding surname.

also Hebrew isn't a dead language...

- Higuma Kanora

6/18/2019, 5:35 PM

Hm? I don't really see the problem as long as it doesn't have an obviously negative meaning. I'm in the camp where I don't particularly mind if a name has no meaning or is made-up as long as I like the sound of it.

- ceruleanskylark

6/18/2019, 5:48 AM

I love this name.

Selah Mariam
Selah Avigail
Selah Juniper
Selah Marion
Selah Jessamine
Selah Winifred
Selah Naomi
Selah Vivienne
Selah Verity
Selah Veronica
Selah Violette
Selah Tamsin
Selah Rosario
Selah Primrose
Selah Penelope
Selah Opal
Selah Nouvel
Selah Magdalene
Selah Meredith
Selah Marjorie
Selah Melody
Selah Juliet
Selah Imogen
Selah Isobel
Selah Gwendolen
Selah Genevieve
Selah Giselle
Selah Fabienne
Selah Damaris
Selah Darian

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- egyptianpanda +1

6/18/2019, 5:38 AM

It's interesting that it appears to be pronounced "SEE-la" as the Hebrew does not reflect that. I've only ever heard it as "SEH-la." It sounds pretty, but it doesn't really mean anything other than an indication of a musical expression.

It also reminds me of Sela from Star Trek (who is not a nice person), so I don't think I would use it.

- Higuma Kanora

6/18/2019, 5:55 PM

Huh, I wonder why it's listed as SEE-la on this site then, if it's actually pronounced differently in it's language of origin...

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