Salem
Salem was the 436th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 711 babies. Its best year was 2023, when it ranked 417th with 734 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 997 places. More babies were named Salem in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Meaning Origin uncertain · Hebrew, Arabic
Say it SAY-lum /ˈseɪləm/
- Rank in 2025
- #436 girls, up 172 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 711girls
- Girls and boys
- 63% girls, 37% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2023734 babies
- Total since 1880
- 11,178babies recorded
What does the name Salem mean?
Salem has two sources. In the Bible it is the city of Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18), traditionally identified with Jerusalem; Dictionary.com says the Hebrew Shalem is of uncertain origin but associated with shalom, "peace". Separately, Salem is an Arabic name from sālim, "safe, sound", which Wiktionary records. Salem, Massachusetts, known for the 1692 witch trials, is named after the biblical city.
שָׁלֵם (Biblical Hebrew, “Salem (associated with peace)”)سَالِم (Arabic, “safe, sound”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. The Hebrew place name is of uncertain origin; the Arabic name is separate.
Related names: Salim, Shalom, Salome.
See also: Hebrew names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Salem', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary.com Unabridged (based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary), with Collins English Dictionary, s.v. 'salem', Dictionary.com / Random House / HarperCollins
- Hebrew Bible / Tanakh, Genesis 14.18, JPS translation with notes (via Sefaria), Sefaria
Salem popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #436 | #679 | 711 | 400 |
| 2020 | #608 | #808 | 480 | 288 |
| 2010 | #2,688 | #2,051 | 67 | 67 |
| 2000 | #3,507 | #2,853 | 38 | 32 |
| 1990 | #8,373 | #2,944 | 10 | 22 |
| 1980 | #7,261 | #2,705 | 9 | 18 |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | #3,626 | — | 6 |
| 1940 | — | #3,091 | — | 7 |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | #4,860 | — | 5 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
How popular is Salem, counting every spelling?
Salem has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #450 for girls in 2025, against #436 on the official list, because Jazlyn/Jazlynn/Jazzlyn and Macie/Maci/Macy and Gracelynn/Gracelyn/Gracelynne move ahead once their spellings are combined.
How many kids will share the name Salem?
711 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Salem (0.20 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Salem born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 12 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Salem.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Salem?
About 6,400 people born in the US named Salem are alive today, with a median age of 5; half are between 3 and 10. That makes Salem a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Salem by state
How common Salem was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in West Virginia (3.4×), Kentucky (3.3×), Oklahoma (3.1×), North Carolina (3.0×), Arkansas (2.9×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Salem: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Salem, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Salem · Sibling names for Salem
Questions about the name Salem
What does Salem mean?
The origin of Salem is uncertain: the Hebrew place name is of uncertain origin; the Arabic name is separate.
How popular is the name Salem?
Salem was the 436th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 711 babies. Its best year was 2023, when it ranked 417th with 734 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 997 places. More babies were named Salem in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Is Salem a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 63% girls, 37% boys given the name Salem in the US.
Where is Salem most popular?
In 2021–2025, Salem was most common in West Virginia (1.45 per 1,000 girls), followed by Kentucky and Oklahoma.