Salma
Girl name · #936 in 2025 · Uniqueness 56/100
Salma is currently the #936 girl name in the United States — 278 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #802, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 6,475 girls born in 2025 was named Salma.
The 107-year story
Salma first appears in the Social Security records in 1918, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1999, when 442 girls were named Salma — good for #569 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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.
Babies named Salma per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Salma against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Salma in class?
Salma scores 56 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 Salma is most common
Geography matters for names, and Salma is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Salmas were TX (47), FL (38), CA (36), MN (19), NY (15). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Salma
Statistically, parents drawn to Salma tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Zaria, Skyla, Kaiya, Paloma, and Anika.
ZariaSkylaKaiyaPalomaAnikaSarahiAkiraSkyler
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Salma | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 278 | #936 |
| 2024 | 310 | #871 |
| 2023 | 295 | #905 |
| 2022 | 311 | #895 |
| 2021 | 290 | #919 |
| 2020 | 240 | #1046 |
| 2019 | 289 | #916 |
| 2018 | 340 | #801 |
| 2017 | 362 | #765 |
| 2016 | 385 | #738 |
| 2015 | 351 | #802 |
| 2014 | 309 | #883 |
| 2013 | 324 | #825 |
| 2012 | 348 | #785 |
| 2011 | 313 | #842 |
| 2010 | 300 | #883 |
| 2009 | 360 | #784 |
| 2008 | 332 | #848 |
| 2007 | 349 | #822 |
| 2006 | 362 | #758 |
| 2005 | 358 | #749 |
| 2004 | 309 | #812 |
| 2003 | 377 | #692 |
| 2002 | 318 | #759 |
| 2001 | 364 | #684 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Salma a popular girl name?
Salma ranked #936 among girls in 2025 with 278 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #802.
When was the name Salma most popular?
Salma peaked in 1999, when 442 American girls received the name (ranked #569 that year). Since 1999 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Salma?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 6,475 newborn American girls was named Salma. It scores 56/100 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.