Meaning: Its source is Anselma, an Ancient Germanic name meaning "Helmet of God."

Narrative: For Westerners, its source could be the Ancient Germanic name Anselma, meaning ''Helmet of God.''

However, some authorities believe it was an invention of Scottish poet James Macpherson, whose popular 18th-century ''translations'' of Old English texts most scholars believe were his own creations.

For Arabic speakers, Selma is a variant spelling of Salma, meaning ''Safe.''