Salem is a distinctive choice, ranked #5892 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Salem in their class.
💎
UK Rank 2024
#5892
US Rank #430
About the Name Salem
Salem has seen a notable decline in recent years, dropping 2445 places in five years. It was most popular in 1999 at #1383 — parents choosing it today are making a deliberately counter-trend decision. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Salem is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
In the US it ranks even higher at #430, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Salem
Unlikely. With around 3 UK babies named Salem per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Salem in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Salem has been declining in UK popularity, dropping 2445 places in the last five years. Its peak was #1383 in 1999. Choosing it now means he is likely to be among the last of his generation with this name.
Salem is more popular in the US (#430) than in the UK (#5892). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Salem appears in the US top 500 at #430 in 2024 — moderately popular in America, though less so than in the UK.
3
UK babies named Salem (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
< 1
In a school of 600
↓ 2445 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Salem
Likely around 1 other Salem in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2024)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Salem
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Salem Al-Sabah was a Kuwaiti royal and politician. At the time of his death he was the eldest serving member, and a Sheikh, of the House of Sabah, as well as the sole Commander throughout the Kuwait National Guard's six-decade history.
Emad A. Salem is an FBI informant, who was a key witness in the trial of Ramzi Yousef, Abdul Hakim Murad, and Wali Khan Amin Shah, convicted in the World Trade Center bombing of February 26, 1993.