Sal
Sal is a given name and nickname, the latter often of Salvatore, Salvador, or Salomon.
Meaning & Origin of Sal
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Sal is a given name and nickname, the latter often of Salvatore, Salvador, or Salomon.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Sal
Sal first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1909, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1958, when 114 Sals were born — ranking #701 that year. As of 2026, Sal ranks #6,958 for baby boys with 11 births, rising sharply (+23% over the past five years). In total, more than 4K Sals have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Sal
Phonetically similar names — useful when Sal is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sal
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About the name Sal
Sal is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1909 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Sal's peak popularity came in 1958 when it ranked #701. Use the chart and map above to compare Sal's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1958 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.