Salih
Borrowed from Arabic صَالِح (ṣāliḥ, literally “pious”).
Every Salih since 1973 — 587 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Salih
Salih is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,678 in 2025 with 22 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1973, 587 American babies have been named Salih. Its peak came in 2017, when 28 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Salih stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Salih year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | #4,678 |
| 2024 | 24 | #4,413 |
| 2023 | 19 | #5,215 |
| 2022 | 17 | #5,596 |
| 2021 | 20 | #4,902 |
| 2020 | 13 | #6,558 |
| 2019 | 25 | #4,211 |
| 2018 | 20 | #4,891 |
| 2017 | 28 | #3,870 |
| 2016 | 17 | #5,516 |
| 2015 | 25 | #4,158 |
| 2014 | 21 | #4,679 |
| 2013 | 20 | #4,766 |
| 2012 | 16 | #5,678 |
| 2011 | 13 | #6,518 |
| 2010 | 18 | #5,208 |
| 2009 | 20 | #4,894 |
| 2008 | 17 | #5,445 |
| 2007 | 14 | #6,204 |
| 2006 | 10 | #7,891 |
| 2005 | 6 | #11,210 |
| 2004 | 14 | #5,741 |
| 2003 | 16 | #4,998 |
| 2002 | 11 | #6,445 |
| 2001 | 18 | #4,433 |
| 2000 | 11 | #6,232 |
| 1995 | 12 | #5,068 |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | 6 | #6,107 |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Salih
- Salih Muslim Politician · b. 1951
- Salih Mahmoud Osman Politician · b. 1957
- Salih Uçan Soccer player · b. 1994
- Salih Özcan Soccer player · b. 1998
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Salih mean?
Borrowed from Arabic صَالِح (ṣāliḥ, literally “pious”).
How popular is the name Salih in 2025?
Salih ranked #4,678 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 22 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Salih?
587 babies have been named Salih in the United States since 1973, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Salih most popular?
Salih peaked in 2017, when 28 newborns received the name.
Is Salih a boy or girl name?
Salih is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Salih rising or falling?
Salih has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Salih?
Well-known people named Salih include Salih Muslim (politician), Salih Mahmoud Osman (politician), Salih Uçan (soccer player).