Salem

Salem - A very unique female name

Salem appeared on the charts for the first time in 1994 on position #4729. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Salem and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Salem? 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 Salem. The baby girl name Salem was given to 682 baby girls in 2025, ranking #434 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,911 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Salem peaked in popularity 3 years ago in 2023 on position 410.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Salem, 1-5?

Salem is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Salem is currently topping the baby name charts in West Virginia at position #136 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,401.

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 Salem is where you live.

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Salem origin and meaning

Hebrew/Arabic — place name

From Hebrew shalem, 'peace, whole' — Salem is the biblical name linked to Jerusalem ('city of peace') and a place name in both the Bible and colonial America

Salem appears in Genesis as the city of Melchizedek. As a modern girls' name it dates only to the 1990s and peaked in 2023, riding the taste for soft, slightly mystical place/biblical names.

Attested etymology

Salem is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Salem

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

Selena / Sloane / Selma / Selina / Salma / Selene / Sloan / Salina / Salome / Solana /

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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 Salem

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 Salem 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 female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Salem?

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

SAY-lem · /ˈseɪləm/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Famous bearers

None yet — the name first appears in the data in 1994, and its oldest bearers are still young.

Style

BiblicalPlace name

Why parents choose it

Parents like its peaceful meaning and calm, witchy-chic sound.

Worth knowing

• The Salem witch trials are the first association for many Americans, ahead of the 'peace' meaning.