Saleem
Boy name · #2525 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Saleem? In official American birth records, Saleem has been tracked continuously since 1960, giving it 65 years of documented American history.
Saleem ranks #2525 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 53 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2809, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 33,962 boys born in 2025 was named Saleem.
The 65-year story
Saleem first appears in the Social Security records in 1960, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 72 babies and a rank of #2078. 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.
Babies named Saleem per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Saleem against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Saleem in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Saleem is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Saleem will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Saleem is most common
State-level data for Saleem is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Saleem
Statistically, parents drawn to Saleem tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Naeem, Shulem, Salim, Sholom, and Ibraheem.
NaeemShulemSalimSholomIbraheemShalomEfraimHashem
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Saleem | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 53 | #2516 |
| 2024 | 72 | #2078 |
| 2023 | 48 | #2693 |
| 2022 | 44 | #2873 |
| 2021 | 47 | #2695 |
| 2020 | 43 | #2806 |
| 2019 | 53 | #2491 |
| 2018 | 61 | #2230 |
| 2017 | 56 | #2319 |
| 2016 | 43 | #2783 |
| 2015 | 42 | #2809 |
| 2014 | 57 | #2299 |
| 2013 | 37 | #2998 |
| 2012 | 36 | #3115 |
| 2011 | 41 | #2852 |
| 2010 | 45 | #2682 |
| 2009 | 47 | #2623 |
| 2008 | 36 | #3165 |
| 2007 | 41 | #2868 |
| 2006 | 37 | #2979 |
| 2005 | 37 | #2846 |
| 2004 | 45 | #2452 |
| 2003 | 29 | #3186 |
| 2002 | 27 | #3259 |
| 2001 | 42 | #2346 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Saleem?
In official American birth records, the name Saleem first appeared in 1960 (over 65 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 65 years.
Is Saleem a popular boy name?
Saleem ranked #2525 among boys in 2025 with 53 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2809.
When was the name Saleem most popular?
Saleem peaked in 2024, when 72 American boys received the name (ranked #2078 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Saleem?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 33,962 newborn American boys was named Saleem. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.