Total births
38
Girls' name · since 1973
Salema
Since 1973, U.S. Social Security records show 38 babies named Salema, peaking in 1980. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 38
- total births
- 1973–1998
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 45%
- born in that decade
Salema is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 38 have been recorded since 1973.
Salema has 38 recorded births among girls since 1973, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1980s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1973 to 1998.
- 38 total births
- 1973–1998 years on record
- 1980s peak decade
- 45% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
38 girls have been named Salema since 1973, peaking in the 1980s, last recorded in 1998.
- 38
- total births
- 1973–1998
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 45%
- born in that decade
1980s
Peak decade
45% of everyone ever named Salema was born in this single decade.
1980
Single peak year
7 babies were named Salema in 1980 - its busiest year on record.
Salema's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Salema splits its recorded history at 1980: 61% of all births land in the more recent half, 39% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1973 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1980 peak of 7 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Salema at a glance
Last recorded 1998Peak year
1980
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1973
Salema popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1973–1998
- Peak year (1980)
- 7
- Annual births at peak, across 26 years of records
Salema by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Salema's strongest decade.
17 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 45% of all-time use.
Salema births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s
1970s
15 births
- 1980s
1980s
17 births
- 1990s 6
1990s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 17 births (45% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Salema? ▼
38 babies have been named Salema since 1973. It was last recorded in 1998. The peak year was 1980 with 7 births.
When was Salema most popular? ▼
Salema was most popular in the 1980s decade with 17 total births. The single peak year was 1980.
How long has the name Salema been used? ▼
Records for Salema go back to 1973, giving 26 years of history through 1998.
What names are similar to Salema? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Sally, Sallie, Salma, Salina, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Salema's data
- Salema's usage has stayed within range of its 1980s decade-level peak (17 total births) through the 1990s (6) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Salema
Nearby Names Like Salema
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Salema
Sally Girl
#1095 205,229 births
Sallie Girl
#5962 49,961 births
Salma Girl
#872 10,311 births
Salina Girl
#4678 7,239 births
Salem Girl
#432 6,491 births
Compare Salema side by side: Salema vs Sally Salema vs Sallie Salema vs Salma
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1973–1998 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Salema: Baby Name Since 1973 - 38 Births, Peak 1980." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/salema. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Salema draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.