Salma
Borrowed from Arabic سَلْمَى (salmā).
Every Salma since 1918 — 10,316 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Salma
Salma is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #937 in 2025 with 278 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1918, 10,316 American babies have been named Salma. Its peak came in 1999, when 442 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Salma stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Salma year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 278 | #937 | — | — |
| 2024 | 310 | #872 | — | — |
| 2023 | 295 | #907 | — | — |
| 2022 | 311 | #898 | — | — |
| 2021 | 290 | #919 | — | — |
| 2020 | 240 | #1,048 | — | — |
| 2019 | 289 | #919 | — | — |
| 2018 | 340 | #804 | — | — |
| 2017 | 362 | #767 | — | — |
| 2016 | 385 | #740 | — | — |
| 2015 | 351 | #803 | — | — |
| 2014 | 309 | #883 | — | — |
| 2013 | 324 | #826 | — | — |
| 2012 | 348 | #786 | 5 | #13,852 |
| 2011 | 313 | #844 | — | — |
| 2010 | 300 | #884 | — | — |
| 2009 | 360 | #789 | — | — |
| 2008 | 332 | #848 | — | — |
| 2007 | 349 | #825 | — | — |
| 2006 | 362 | #760 | — | — |
| 2005 | 358 | #750 | — | — |
| 2004 | 309 | #812 | — | — |
| 2003 | 377 | #694 | — | — |
| 2002 | 318 | #762 | — | — |
| 2001 | 364 | #684 | — | — |
| 2000 | 359 | #673 | — | — |
| 1995 | 49 | #2,581 | — | — |
| 1990 | 38 | #3,008 | — | — |
| 1985 | 12 | #5,966 | — | — |
| 1980 | 11 | #6,231 | — | — |
| 1975 | 9 | #6,343 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Salma
- Salma Hayek Actor · b. 1966
- Salma Agha Actor · b. 1956
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Salma mean?
Borrowed from Arabic سَلْمَى (salmā).
How popular is the name Salma in 2025?
Salma ranked #937 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 278 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Salma?
10,316 babies have been named Salma in the United States since 1918, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Salma most popular?
Salma peaked in 1999, when 442 newborns received the name.
Is Salma a boy or girl name?
Salma is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Salma rising or falling?
Salma has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Salma?
Well-known people named Salma include Salma Hayek (actor), Salma Agha (actor).