Where does the name Salma come from?

Salma is a girl name of Arabic origin. Deeply familiar in the US through Salma Hayek (whose father is Lebanese-American).

Is Salma a boy or a girl name?

Salma is overwhelmingly a girl name in the United States. Of the 9,723 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are girls.

How popular is the name Salma in 2023?

Salma ranks #907 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1999 with 442 babies.

How do you pronounce Salma?

Salma is pronounced SAHL-mah (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Salma?

Salma is also written as Selma, Salmah.

A name from Arabic · Girl

Salma

سَلْمَى

"Safe and sound, peaceful." From the same root as *islām* and *salām* (peace). A classical name of pre-Islamic Arabic poetry, often tied to the ideal of beauty.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 105-year arc in numbers.

9,723 U.S. births recorded from 1918–2023.

Popularity · 1918–2023

295 births in 2023

1918 1970 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

S"Safe and sound, peaceful." From the same root as *islām* and *salām* (peace). A classical name of pre-Islamic Arabic poetry, often tied to the ideal of beauty.

Etymology, in one line

Arabic root: s-l-m — س-ل-م, peace, safety

Regional variants

Deeply familiar in the US through Salma Hayek (whose father is Lebanese-American). A strong, short, easy-to-pronounce choice.

Variants & spellings

2 ways to spell "Salma".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Selma Most common Salmah

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Salma.

S
Salma Hayek (Mexican-American actress, Lebanese heritage)

Quick answers

People often ask about Salma.

What does the name Salma mean?: Salma means "Safe and sound, peaceful." From the same root as *islām* and *salām* (peace). A classical name of pre-Islamic Arabic poetry, often tied to the ideal of beauty.
Where does the name Salma come from?: Salma is a girl name of Arabic origin. Deeply familiar in the US through Salma Hayek (whose father is Lebanese-American).
Is Salma a boy or a girl name?: Salma is overwhelmingly a girl name in the United States. Of the 9,723 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are girls.
How popular is the name Salma in 2023?: Salma ranks #907 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1999 with 442 babies.
How do you pronounce Salma?: Salma is pronounced SAHL-mah (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Salma?: Salma is also written as Selma, Salmah.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meaning and cultural context drawn from classical sources: Lisan al-Arab, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Qur'an and Sunnah. If you spot an error, please let us know.