Saleem

Saleem - A very unique male name

Saleem appeared on the charts for the first time in 1977 on position #1269. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Saleem and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Saleem? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Saleem. The baby boy name Saleem was given to 13 baby boys in 2025, ranking #2882 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 112,791 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Saleem peaked in popularity 46 years ago in 1980 on position 939.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Saleem, 1-5?

Saleem is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Saleem is currently topping the baby name charts in Pennsylvania at position #1,079 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,719.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Saleem is where you live.

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Saleem origin and meaning

Arabic

From Arabic salīm, 'safe, sound, whole'

Saleem is a long-established Arabic name, among the names of God in Islamic tradition as al-Salim in some lists and held by companions of the Prophet. It entered US data in 1977, peaking in 1980, and is used mainly in Muslim families.

Attested etymology

Saleem is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Saleem, pop culture references for the name Saleem and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Saleem

We've found the following names that sound similar to Saleem, sorted by popularity.

Solomon / Shlomo / Salem / Salomon / Shalom / Salman / Shulem / Sholom / Sulaiman / Salim /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Saleem

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Saleem a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Saleem?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

sah-LEEM · /səˈliːm/

Around the world

• Salim (Arabic) — The standard Arabic form, also written Saleem in transliteration
• Selim (Turkish) — The Turkish form

Spellings and nicknames

• Salim — The plainer transliteration, also in US data
• Selim — The Turkish form, also in US data

Famous bearers

• Saleem Sinai — Fictional narrator of Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children (1981) (Fictional, 1981) Fictional

Style

International

Why parents choose it

A classic Arabic name with a calm, positive meaning; the Rushdie hero gives it a literary reference in English.

Worth knowing

• Salim, Selim and Saleem are three spellings of related forms