Rising since 1986, #2,451 for boys today.
Popularity of Saleh since 1974
Babies named Saleh per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2018, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Saleh's real moment was 2024.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 31 |
| 1980s | 137 |
| 1990s | 241 |
| 2000s | 364 |
| 2010s | 591 |
| 2020s | 413 |
Meaning & origin
The name Saleh has been in use in the United States since at least 1974, when it first appeared in Social Security records. Its rank in 2025 is 2,451, with approximately 1 in 31,056 boys receiving the name. Its peak year so far is 2024, and it has shown a generally rising trajectory since 1986, indicating growing awareness and adoption among American families, particularly in states with large Muslim communities such as Michigan, New York, and California. As a name deeply rooted in Islamic tradition, Saleh ties a child to the prophetic lineage and carries a clear, positive meaning.
Saleh derives from the Arabic root ṣ-l-ḥ, meaning righteousness or goodness. It is the name of a prophet in Islam (Saleh, spelled Salih in transliteration), sent to the Thamud people. The name has been used across the Muslim world for centuries, with variants such as Salih and Salleh in different regions.
Where Saleh is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Saleh” around the world
Where Saleh lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
10
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Salih, Salleh
Sibling names for Saleh
Names that share Saleh's style, for a brother or sister.
