Salma

سَلْمَى

Girl Arabic /SAHL-mah/ #906 in 2023

Salma is a girl name of Arabic origin.

Meaning of Salma

"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.

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.

Popularity of Salma

Popularity, 1918–2023

295 births in 2023

1918 2023

9,722 U.S. births recorded from 1918–2023.

Peak year

1999

442 babies

First recorded

1918

105 years of history

Recent trend

Falling

Last 5 yrs vs. prior 5

Variants & nicknames

SelmaSalmah

Famous people named Salma

Salma Hayek (Mexican-American actress, Lebanese heritage)

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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.