An estimated 6,428 living Americans are named Salem.
How rare is Salem?
Salem is moderately uncommon among babies today, with 711 girls receiving the name in 2025.
How old is the typical Salem?
The median age of a living American named Salem is approximately 5 years, with most bearers falling between 3 and 10 years old.
Is Salem still popular?
Yes — Salem is currently rising in popularity, with 711 births in 2025. Births this decade are running about 5.7× higher than the previous decade.
Where is Salem most common?
Salem has its strongest geographic signal in North Carolina, where it appears 5.2× more often than the national baseline.
1976Peak 20232025
Peak year
2023
Decline from peak
3.1%
2025
711
All-time
6,491
Diaspora map
Salem spread fast — broke out in Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and West Virginia (2021) and ran high in 27 states within a decade.
Broke out: Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and West Virginia, 2021 · over-represented in 27 states over 3 years
