Salem

“Complete, whole, safe (from Hebrew shalem)” — Hebrew origin

Boy's name · #679 in the US (2025) · 2020s

Salem is near its high-water mark: it reached #631 in 2023 and still ranked #679 in 2025. About 4,700 boys have carried it since 1912. About 63% of babies named Salem in recent years have been girls.

Around the world: about 1 in 4,500 boys in Canada (2024) · about 1 in 14,000 boys in England & Wales (2025) · about 1 in 15,000 boys in France (2025).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 36 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Salems

Salem Al-Dawsari — Saudi footballer
Salem Al-Hajri — association football player
Salem Al Ketbi — UAE political scientist and author
Salem Al Fakir — Swedish singer-songwriter
Salem Saleh — Emirati chess player

In stories & tradition

Salem Saberhagen — Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Salem — Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 · Fire Emblem Awakening

What Salems become

Among 177 notable people named Salem:

Sports figures appear 2.15× more often than among typical names — e.g. Salem Al-Dawsari, Saudi footballer.

Similar names: Zamir · Shalom · Jesiah · Zakaria · Zakai · Avraham

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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