Saleh
Boy name · #2465 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Saleh? In official American birth records, Saleh has been tracked continuously since 1974, giving it 51 years of documented American history.
Saleh ranks #2465 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 55 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2328, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 32,727 boys born in 2025 was named Saleh.
The 51-year story
Saleh first appears in the Social Security records in 1974, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2018, when 83 boys were named Saleh — good for #1823 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 Saleh per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Saleh against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Saleh in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Saleh is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Saleh will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Saleh is most common
State-level data for Saleh 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 Saleh
Statistically, parents drawn to Saleh tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Salah, Samarth, Smith, Slate, and Sabir.
SalahSamarthSmithSlateSabirSloanSahibDutch
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Saleh | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 55 | #2451 |
| 2024 | 81 | #1938 |
| 2023 | 79 | #1954 |
| 2022 | 74 | #2039 |
| 2021 | 61 | #2277 |
| 2020 | 63 | #2190 |
| 2019 | 61 | #2265 |
| 2018 | 83 | #1823 |
| 2017 | 74 | #1935 |
| 2016 | 75 | #1936 |
| 2015 | 56 | #2328 |
| 2014 | 59 | #2256 |
| 2013 | 54 | #2336 |
| 2012 | 48 | #2551 |
| 2011 | 45 | #2663 |
| 2010 | 36 | #3128 |
| 2009 | 38 | #3045 |
| 2008 | 49 | #2542 |
| 2007 | 50 | #2504 |
| 2006 | 35 | #3083 |
| 2005 | 43 | #2567 |
| 2004 | 36 | #2843 |
| 2003 | 32 | #2993 |
| 2002 | 30 | #3022 |
| 2001 | 25 | #3410 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Saleh?
In official American birth records, the name Saleh first appeared in 1974 (over 51 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 51 years.
Is Saleh a popular boy name?
Saleh ranked #2465 among boys in 2025 with 55 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2328.
When was the name Saleh most popular?
Saleh peaked in 2018, when 83 American boys received the name (ranked #1823 that year). Since 2018 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Saleh?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 32,727 newborn American boys was named Saleh. 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.