Salem
From Biblical Hebrew שָׁלֵם (šālēm) (Genesis 14:18).
Every Salem since 1912 — 11,178 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Salem
Salem is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #436 in 2025 with 711 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1912, 11,178 American babies have been named Salem — about 58% girls and 42% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2023, when 1,174 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Salem stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Salem year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 711 | #436 | 400 | #679 |
| 2024 | 718 | #432 | 442 | #634 |
| 2023 | 734 | #417 | 440 | #631 |
| 2022 | 700 | #448 | 400 | #680 |
| 2021 | 614 | #506 | 364 | #715 |
| 2020 | 480 | #608 | 288 | #808 |
| 2019 | 377 | #749 | 236 | #926 |
| 2018 | 257 | #1,013 | 155 | #1,215 |
| 2017 | 205 | #1,196 | 165 | #1,152 |
| 2016 | 188 | #1,285 | 149 | #1,247 |
| 2015 | 162 | #1,433 | 139 | #1,286 |
| 2014 | 144 | #1,524 | 109 | #1,491 |
| 2013 | 91 | #2,103 | 94 | #1,632 |
| 2012 | 85 | #2,229 | 69 | #2,029 |
| 2011 | 65 | #2,721 | 57 | #2,281 |
| 2010 | 67 | #2,688 | 67 | #2,051 |
| 2009 | 82 | #2,373 | 84 | #1,796 |
| 2008 | 65 | #2,797 | 51 | #2,501 |
| 2007 | 56 | #3,121 | 41 | #2,912 |
| 2006 | 54 | #3,129 | 48 | #2,533 |
| 2005 | 57 | #2,901 | 40 | #2,746 |
| 2004 | 51 | #3,062 | 59 | #2,048 |
| 2003 | 44 | #3,340 | 41 | #2,542 |
| 2002 | 56 | #2,740 | 37 | #2,628 |
| 2001 | 52 | #2,842 | 38 | #2,558 |
| 2000 | 38 | #3,507 | 32 | #2,853 |
| 1995 | 20 | #4,983 | 29 | #2,612 |
| 1990 | 10 | #8,373 | 22 | #2,944 |
| 1985 | 8 | #8,144 | 8 | #5,064 |
| 1980 | 9 | #7,261 | 18 | #2,705 |
| 1975 | — | — | 5 | #6,173 |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | 6 | #3,626 |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | 7 | #3,091 |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | 5 | #4,860 |
| 1915 | — | — | 6 | #3,762 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Salem mean?
From Biblical Hebrew שָׁלֵם (šālēm) (Genesis 14:18).
How popular is the name Salem in 2025?
Salem ranked #436 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 711 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Salem?
11,178 babies have been named Salem in the United States since 1912, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Salem most popular?
Salem peaked in 2023, when 1,174 newborns received the name.
Is Salem a boy or girl name?
Salem is used for both: about 58% of babies named Salem have been girls and 42% boys.
Is the name Salem rising or falling?
Salem is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.