Frida vs Selma
Frida and Selma compared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Frida was ranked #5 and Selma #11 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Frida was ranked #922 and Selma #2278 among girls in England and Wales.
Frida and Selma over time
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Frida and Selma over time
Frida and Selma appear together in 2 published lists, across 89 years of shared records. Frida held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Selma in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Selma reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Frida in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Frida and Selma changed places 12 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2025, ending at #5 and #11.
- Longest-running competitions
Frida and Selma were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 63 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #5 and #11.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Girls within 2 years — Frida #5 in 2025, Selma #5 in 2024.
List by list
Norway · Girls63 shared years, 1945–2025
Frida held the stronger position in 51 of those years, Selma in 12.
Highest recorded here: Frida #5 in 2025, Selma #5 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Frida #5, Selma #11.
England and Wales · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2025
Frida held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Selma in 8.
Highest recorded here: Frida #504 in 2022, Selma #1082 in 2005.
The order changed in 2009: Frida moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #1247 and #1093; by 2009 that had become #1526 and #2759.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Frida #922, Selma #2278.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Where to go next
Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.
Other comparisons involving Frida
Pairs where Frida shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Heidi vs Frida
Over 69 shared years in Norway · Girls, Frida rose about as far as Heidi fell — from #188 and #302 in 1945 to #437 and #5 in 2025.
Heidi · Frida · 69 shared years, 1945–2025 · Mirrored each other
- Kristin vs Frida
Over 69 shared years in Norway · Girls, Frida rose about as far as Kristin fell — from #130 and #302 in 1945 to #251 and #5 in 2025.
Kristin · Frida · 69 shared years, 1945–2025 · Mirrored each other
- Frida vs Solveig
Over 69 shared years in Norway · Girls, Frida rose about as far as Solveig fell — from #302 and #14 in 1945 to #5 and #28 in 2025.
Frida · Solveig · 69 shared years, 1945–2025 · Mirrored each other
- Frida vs Hanne
Over 68 shared years in Norway · Girls, Frida rose about as far as Hanne fell — from #302 and #123 in 1945 to #5 and #318 in 2025.
Frida · Hanne · 68 shared years, 1945–2025 · Mirrored each other
Other comparisons involving Selma
Pairs where Selma shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Heidi vs Selma
Over 67 shared years in Norway · Girls, Selma rose about as far as Heidi fell — from #188 and #352 in 1945 to #437 and #11 in 2025.
Heidi · Selma · 67 shared years, 1945–2025 · Mirrored each other
- Kristin vs Selma
Over 67 shared years in Norway · Girls, Selma rose about as far as Kristin fell — from #130 and #352 in 1945 to #251 and #11 in 2025.
Kristin · Selma · 67 shared years, 1945–2025 · Mirrored each other
- Selma vs Solveig
Over 67 shared years in Norway · Girls, Selma rose about as far as Solveig fell — from #352 and #14 in 1945 to #11 and #28 in 2025.
Selma · Solveig · 67 shared years, 1945–2025 · Mirrored each other
- Selma vs Hanne
Over 66 shared years in Norway · Girls, Selma rose about as far as Hanne fell — from #352 and #123 in 1945 to #11 and #318 in 2025.
Selma · Hanne · 66 shared years, 1945–2025 · Mirrored each other
Other pairs with the same kind of relationship
Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — repeatedly exchanged positions.
- Frank vs Vidar
Frank and Vidar changed places 36 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #459 and #478.
Frank · Vidar · 77 shared years, 1945–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Helge vs Rolf
Helge and Rolf changed places 35 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #352 and #437.
Helge · Rolf · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Stein vs Arild
Stein and Arild changed places 34 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2014, ending at #452 and #408.
Stein · Arild · 67 shared years, 1945–2014 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Inger vs Kari
Inger and Kari changed places 33 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2025, ending at #292 and #222.
Inger · Kari · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
Other pairs from Norway lists
Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.
- Ingrid vs Wenche
In 1945 they stood at #27 and #22 in Norway · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2008 they were #6 and #621.
Ingrid · Wenche · 58 shared years, 1945–2008 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Torill
In 1945 they stood at #38 and #39 in Norway · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2004 they were #10 and #599.
Anna · Torill · 55 shared years, 1945–2004 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ingrid vs Vigdis
In 1945 they stood at #27 and #32 in Norway · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2006 they were #6 and #583.
Ingrid · Vigdis · 52 shared years, 1945–2006 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Vigdis
In 1945 they stood at #38 and #32 in Norway · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2006 they were #10 and #583.
Anna · Vigdis · 52 shared years, 1945–2006 · Started together, ended far apart
Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s
Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.
- Grace vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #41 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #27 and #4867.
Grace · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ella vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #56 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #46 and #4867.
Ella · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jasmine vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #55 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #102 and #4867.
Jasmine · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #47 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #142 and #4867.
Anna · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Frida | Selma |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Traditionally interpreted as 'beautiful' or 'beloved', from Old Norse fridr. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Old Norse, used in Swedish, Norwegian and Danish tradition | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | FREE-dah | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway | England and Wales, Republic of Ireland, Norway |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #5 (2025) | Norway · Girls #11 (2025) |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Frida has a recorded origin (Old Norse, used in Swedish, Norwegian and Danish tradition); Selma does not have one recorded yet.
- Frida and Selma both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Frida; Selma doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Frida
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #302 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Norway, in 2025 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #922 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Selma
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #352 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Norway, in 2024 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2278 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls