Salim - A very unique male name
Salim at a glance
Salim is ranked #2563 among boy baby names in 2025, with 18 births in 2025. It peaked in 1978 at #1237 and first appeared on the charts in 1968.
- Rank in 2025
- #2563
- Births in 2025
- 18
- Peak year
- 1978 (#1237)
- First appeared
- 1968
- Trend
- #3588 in 2020 → #2563 in 2025 (Rising)
- Popularity
- 1 in 81,460 boys
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration · Data through 2025 · Updated 2026
With that position 1 in 81,460 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Salim peaked in popularity 48 years ago in 1978 on position 1237.
Famous with this name
Dar Salim
Riyas Salim
Salim
How would you rate Salim, 1-5?
Salim is currently topping the charts in...
Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Salim is currently topping the baby name charts in Minnesota at position #792 - and is the least popular in California at position #2,420.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 Salim is where you live.
Comment and discuss
Salim origin and meaning
Arabic
'Safe, sound, healthy' — Arabic salim, from the root s-l-m, peace and safety
Salim is a classic Arabic name meaning safe and sound, built on the same root as salam, peace. It has been borne by sultans, scholars and athletes across the Muslim world for centuries. In American data it dates from 1968 and is currently rising from a low base.
Attested etymology
Salim is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.
To see famous people named Salim, pop culture references for the name Salim and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.Similar to Salim
We've found the following names that sound similar to Salim, sorted by popularity.
Solomon / Shlomo / Salem / Salomon / Shalom / Salman / Shulem / Sholom / Saleem / Sulaiman /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)
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 2563 |
| 2024 | 2590 |
| 2023 | 1908 |
| 2022 | 2164 |
| 2021 | 3008 |
| 2020 | 3588 |
| 2019 | 2303 |
| 2018 | 2384 |
| 2017 | 2317 |
| 2016 | 2210 |
| 2015 | 2242 |
| 2014 | 3126 |
| 2013 | 2143 |
| 2012 | 2391 |
| 2011 | 3246 |
| 2010 | 3278 |
| 2009 | 2402 |
| 2008 | 2623 |
| 2006 | 2806 |
| 2005 | 4089 |
| 2004 | 4149 |
| 2003 | 3429 |
| 2002 | 2220 |
| 2001 | 2516 |
| 2000 | 3786 |
| 1999 | 2176 |
| 1997 | 2047 |
| 1996 | 3486 |
| 1995 | 1912 |
| 1994 | 2242 |
| 1993 | 1738 |
| 1992 | 2983 |
| 1991 | 2083 |
| 1989 | 2207 |
| 1988 | 1938 |
| 1987 | 2842 |
| 1985 | 1891 |
| 1984 | 1793 |
| 1983 | 1844 |
| 1981 | 2151 |
| 1980 | 1704 |
| 1979 | 1802 |
| 1978 | 1237 |
| 1977 | 1926 |
| 1976 | 2191 |
| 1968 | 1745 |
Chart position per state (table view)
| State | Rank |
|---|---|
| Minnesota | 792 |
| Pennsylvania | 1212 |
| California | 2420 |
Even more about Salim
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 Salim 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 Salim?
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.Pronunciation
sah-LEEM · /sɑˈlim/
Around the world
- Salim (Arabic) — Used as-is
- Selim (Turkish) — The Turkish form, borne by Ottoman sultans
Spellings and nicknames
- Selim — The Turkish form in US data
Famous bearers
None yet — no bearer for this name is documented well enough for us to list, so we show none rather than pad the list.
Style
InternationalClassic
Why parents choose it
Salim is traditional, meaningful and increasingly familiar internationally.
Worth knowing
- It may be confused with Selim, Salem and Slim
