Selwyn, of Anglo-Saxon origin, is a unique and distinguished male given name. It is composed of two elements: 'seol' meaning 'sun,' and 'win' signifying 'friend.' Thus, Selwyn translates to 'sun friend.' This name was popularized by the 19th-century English poet Anne Brontë, who used it for a character in her novel 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.' Today, Selwyn remains a rare yet elegant choice for parents seeking an exceptional name with a rich historical heritage.
The name Selwyn experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the past century, with a total of 1393 births recorded between 1904 and 2018. The peak years for this name were 1927 to 1931, during which there were consistently around 20-30 births per year. However, after the mid-1960s, Selwyn's popularity began to decline sharply, with fewer than 15 births recorded each year since then. The most recent data shows that only 5 or 6 babies named Selwyn are born annually on average.