Rising since 2011, #1,108 for boys today.
Popularity of Psalm since 1999
Babies named Psalm per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5 | 5 |
| 2000s | 38 | 26 |
| 2010s | 74 | 62 |
| 2020s | 242 | 668 |
Meaning & origin
Psalm is a relatively recent addition to the American naming landscape, first recorded in 1999. By 2025, it had risen to rank 1,108 with approximately 1 in 8,805 newborns receiving the name, and it reached its peak popularity in that same year. The trajectory has been consistently rising since 2011, suggesting growing appeal among parents seeking a name with spiritual resonance. The name is most frequently found in Alabama, Virginia, and Washington. As a word name drawn from the biblical Book of Psalms, it carries a religious significance that resonates in Christian communities, aligning with other virtue names that have gained currency in recent decades.
Psalm derives from the Greek 'psalmos' (song sung to harp), which was used in the Septuagint to translate Hebrew 'mizmor' (a melody or song of praise). As a given name, it emerged in the late 20th century among English-speaking Christian communities, inspired by the Book of Psalms in the Bible.
Where Psalm is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Psalm” around the world
Where Psalm lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
New Zealand
12
babies in 2025
Sources: NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Psal, Sal
Variants: Salms
Sibling names for Psalm
Names that share Psalm's style, for a brother or sister.
