Salam
As-salamu alaykum, also written salamun alaykum and typically rendered in English as salam alaykum, is a greeting in Arabic that means 'Peace be upon you'.
Meaning & Origin of Salam
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
As-salamu alaykum, also written salamun alaykum and typically rendered in English as salam alaykum, is a greeting in Arabic that means 'Peace be upon you'.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Salam
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Salam as a girl name dates back to 1988, when 6 babies received it. 1993 was its biggest year on record, with 15 newborns named Salam — #5,955 in the national rankings. The 1990s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 36% of all recorded Salams. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2024 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 260 Salams have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Salam as a boy name dates back to 1985, when 5 babies received it. 2003 was its biggest year on record, with 10 newborns named Salam — #6,714 in the national rankings. The 2000s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 27% of all recorded Salams. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2024 (7 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 128 Salams have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Salam
Phonetically similar names — useful when Salam 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 Salam
What does the name Salam mean?
How popular is Salam in 2026?
When was Salam most popular?
In which U.S. states is Salam most popular?
Is Salam a unisex name?
What names go well with Salam?
About the name Salam
Salam is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1988 and has accumulated 260 births in the dataset. Salam's peak popularity came in 1993 when it ranked #5,955. Use the chart and map above to compare Salam's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1993 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.