Salem
Boy name · #679 in 2025 · Uniqueness 47/100
In 2025, 400 baby boys were named Salem, placing it at #679 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1283, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,500 boys born in 2025 was named Salem.
Babies named Salem per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 113-year story
Salem first appears in the Social Security records in 1912, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 442 babies and a rank of #631. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Salem against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Salem in class?
Salem scores 47 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Salem is most common
Geography matters for names, and Salem is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Salems were TX (45), CA (26), OH (21), GA (20), NC (19). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Salem
Statistically, parents drawn to Salem tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Harlem, Shulem, Sevyn, Calum, and Creed.
HarlemShulemSevynCalumCreedDenimOceanArham
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Salem | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 400 | #679 |
| 2024 | 442 | #631 |
| 2023 | 440 | #630 |
| 2022 | 400 | #680 |
| 2021 | 364 | #714 |
| 2020 | 288 | #806 |
| 2019 | 236 | #925 |
| 2018 | 155 | #1207 |
| 2017 | 165 | #1149 |
| 2016 | 149 | #1245 |
| 2015 | 139 | #1283 |
| 2014 | 109 | #1485 |
| 2013 | 94 | #1624 |
| 2012 | 69 | #2016 |
| 2011 | 57 | #2261 |
| 2010 | 67 | #2037 |
| 2009 | 84 | #1789 |
| 2008 | 51 | #2467 |
| 2007 | 41 | #2868 |
| 2006 | 48 | #2513 |
| 2005 | 40 | #2701 |
| 2004 | 59 | #2024 |
| 2003 | 41 | #2507 |
| 2002 | 37 | #2603 |
| 2001 | 38 | #2520 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Salem a popular boy name?
Salem ranked #679 among boys in 2025 with 400 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1283.
When was the name Salem most popular?
Salem peaked in 2024, when 442 American boys received the name (ranked #631 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Salem?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,500 newborn American boys was named Salem. It scores 47/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.