Etymology of the Name Selma: A Transcultural Onomastic Analysis of Semitic, European, and Balkan Layers
Željko Stanojević
Independent Researcher in Hebrew Linguistics and Biblical Philology
Institute for Hebrew Language and Literature, Belgrade
ORCID:https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0717-6184
Abstract
This study presents a comprehensive etymological and onomastic analysis of the personal name Selma, examining its development across Semitic, European, and Balkan linguistic and cultural contexts. The research is based on a comparative methodology that integrates historical linguistics, contact linguistics, and sociolinguistic analysis.
The primary etymological layer is traced to the Semitic root s-l-m, widely attested in Arabic and Hebrew, denoting “peace,” “safety,” and “wholeness.” Within the Islamic cultural sphere, the name emerges as part of a broader lexical and onomastic system derived from this root, with continuous usage across centuries.
A secondary developmental layer is identified in the European context, particularly within the reception of the Ossianic corpus in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In this framework, Selma appears as a literary toponym that subsequently underwent anthroponymic transformation and diffusion into Germanic and Scandinavian naming systems.
The Balkan distribution of the name reflects a distinct historical trajectory shaped by Ottoman-era transmission, Islamic cultural continuity, and integration into South Slavic linguistic environments. The name demonstrates high phonological adaptability and long-term stability within regional naming practices.
The study proposes a tripartite model of etymological development, in which Selma is understood as a transcultural onomastic unit formed through the interaction of Semitic linguistic foundations, Islamic historical transmission, and European literary reinterpretation.
Keywords
Selma; onomastics; etymology; Semitic linguistics; Arabic; Hebrew; Balkan linguistics; contact linguistics; Ossian; personal names; sociolinguistics
Description
This research offers a structured and methodologically grounded examination of the name Selma as a multi-layered onomastic phenomenon. Rather than attributing the name to a single origin, the study demonstrates that its contemporary usage in Europe results from the convergence of distinct historical and linguistic processes.
The Semitic foundation of the name is analyzed through the root s-l-m (Arabic: س-ل-م; Hebrew: ש-ל-ם), which constitutes one of the central semantic fields in Semitic languages. This layer provides the primary etymological basis, supported by strong historical attestation and widespread geographical distribution.
In contrast, the European development of the name is linked to literary transmission, particularly through the influence of James Macpherson’s Ossianic texts. This process illustrates how literary prestige can generate new anthroponymic forms that become fully integrated into national naming systems.
The Balkan context introduces an additional dimension, in which the name functions as part of an established Islamic onomastic layer, while simultaneously adapting to Slavic phonological and morphological structures. This dual integration underscores the role of contact zones in shaping naming systems.
The study contributes to contemporary onomastic theory by proposing a model of transcultural naming, in which personal names are understood as dynamic entities shaped by linguistic, historical, and cultural interaction.
Publication & Access
- Full text (Knowledge Commons): https://works.hcommons.org/records/869r6-q9j17
- DOI (Zenodo): https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19476306
- Academia.edu version: https://www.academia.edu/165574534
Related Works
Stanojević, Ž. (2001) O jeziku Srba i Jevreja: trojako prisustvo Jevreja među Slovenima: međusobni uticaji severozapadnih semitskih i slovenskih jezika. Zenodo. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18227673
Stanojević, Ž. (2026) Onomastikon biblijskih imena. Tom I: Starozavetna imena (Preview edition). Zenodo. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18796670
Stanojević, Ž. (2026) Etymology of the Name David: A Semitic and Slavic Onomastic Interface. Zenodo. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19200225