Salim
Boy name · #2315 in 2025 · Uniqueness 62/100
Salim ranks #2315 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 60 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2457, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 30,000 boys born in 2025 was named Salim.
Babies named Salim per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 65-year story
Salim first appears in the Social Security records in 1960, when 6 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2023, with 65 babies and a rank of #2188. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Salim against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Salim in class?
Salim scores 62 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Salim is most common
Geography matters for names, and Salim is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Salims were CA (6), MN (6), PA (6). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Salim
Statistically, parents drawn to Salim tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Selim, Alim, Rahim, Qasim, and Saleem.
SelimAlimRahimQasimSaleemAsimEfraimSholom
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Salim | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 60 | #2304 |
| 2024 | 50 | #2637 |
| 2023 | 65 | #2188 |
| 2022 | 53 | #2563 |
| 2021 | 50 | #2588 |
| 2020 | 44 | #2759 |
| 2019 | 56 | #2394 |
| 2018 | 54 | #2417 |
| 2017 | 54 | #2388 |
| 2016 | 55 | #2365 |
| 2015 | 51 | #2457 |
| 2014 | 45 | #2661 |
| 2013 | 57 | #2250 |
| 2012 | 47 | #2594 |
| 2011 | 39 | #2950 |
| 2010 | 51 | #2429 |
| 2009 | 51 | #2486 |
| 2008 | 38 | #3057 |
| 2007 | 40 | #2920 |
| 2006 | 46 | #2578 |
| 2005 | 29 | #3389 |
| 2004 | 31 | #3158 |
| 2003 | 31 | #3044 |
| 2002 | 41 | #2428 |
| 2001 | 43 | #2306 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Salim a popular boy name?
Salim ranked #2315 among boys in 2025 with 60 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2457.
When was the name Salim most popular?
Salim peaked in 2023, when 65 American boys received the name (ranked #2188 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Salim?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 30,000 newborn American boys was named Salim. It scores 62/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.