Unisex nameCurrently #430 in the USRising
Salem
SAY-lum//ˈseɪləm//
2 syllablesPeak year: 20235 lettersStarts with S
Meaning & origin
Peace
Salem comes from the Hebrew 'shalom', meaning peace, related to Jerusalem's own ancient name and shared with the historic Massachusetts town. Its peaceful meaning and clean sound have made it a distinctive modern unisex choice.
Salem's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Salem |
|---|---|
| 1912 | 5 |
| 1915 | 6 |
| 1916 | 5 |
| 1918 | 12 |
| 1919 | 8 |
| 1920 | 5 |
| 1921 | 7 |
| 1922 | 6 |
| 1923 | 5 |
| 1924 | 8 |
| 1926 | 8 |
| 1931 | 8 |
| 1940 | 7 |
| 1942 | 7 |
| 1950 | 6 |
| 1951 | 5 |
| 1962 | 5 |
| 1963 | 5 |
| 1966 | 6 |
| 1969 | 7 |
| 1971 | 9 |
| 1972 | 8 |
| 1973 | 8 |
| 1974 | 11 |
| 1975 | 5 |
| 1976 | 19 |
| 1977 | 20 |
| 1978 | 24 |
| 1979 | 27 |
| 1980 | 27 |
| 1981 | 15 |
| 1982 | 16 |
| 1983 | 25 |
| 1984 | 29 |
| 1985 | 16 |
| 1986 | 24 |
| 1987 | 27 |
| 1988 | 39 |
| 1989 | 29 |
| 1990 | 32 |
| 1991 | 25 |
| 1992 | 30 |
| 1993 | 28 |
| 1994 | 45 |
| 1995 | 49 |
| 1996 | 52 |
| 1997 | 67 |
| 1998 | 67 |
| 1999 | 76 |
| 2000 | 70 |
| 2001 | 90 |
| 2002 | 93 |
| 2003 | 85 |
| 2004 | 110 |
| 2005 | 97 |
| 2006 | 102 |
| 2007 | 97 |
| 2008 | 116 |
| 2009 | 166 |
| 2010 | 134 |
| 2011 | 122 |
| 2012 | 154 |
| 2013 | 185 |
| 2014 | 253 |
| 2015 | 301 |
| 2016 | 337 |
| 2017 | 369 |
| 2018 | 412 |
| 2019 | 613 |
| 2020 | 767 |
| 2021 | 978 |
| 2022 | 1,098 |
| 2023 | 1,174 |
| 2024 | 1,155 |
Salem through the decades
- Salem peaked in 2023, when 1,174 babies were named Salem in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Salem has risen 405% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Salem currently ranks #430 in the US and is on the rise.
Nicknames
Salem
Variants & spellings
Saleem