NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Saleem

An Arabic masculine name meaning "safe" or "secure".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Saleem is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Saleem popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1951, with 12 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2002, with 14 births.

This profile covers 235 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 86% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 236 living people in the UK are called Saleem. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Saleem ranked #1951 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 12 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2002, when 14 boys were registered as Saleem.
  • Saleem ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #311 in 1985.
  • About 236 living people in the UK are estimated to have Saleem as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1951

2024

Births in 2024

12

Latest year

Peak year

2002

14 births

Estimated living

236

2026

Meaning

What does Saleem mean?

The name Saleem has its roots in the Arabic language and is derived from the word "salim," which means "safe," "peaceful," or "whole." It is a name that has been used in various cultures and regions influenced by the Arabic language and Islamic traditions.

The earliest recorded usage of the name Saleem can be traced back to the 7th century, during the early days of Islam. It was a common name among the Arabs of the Arabian Peninsula and later spread to other regions as Islam expanded.

One of the earliest known historical figures with the name Saleem was Saleem ibn Yazid, an Arab general who lived during the 7th century and fought in the Muslim conquest of Persia. He played a significant role in the Battle of Qadisiyyah, a decisive victory for the Muslim forces against the Sassanid Persian Empire.

In the 9th century, Saleem ibn Ahmed al-Basri was a renowned Islamic scholar and poet from Basra, Iraq. He was known for his contributions to the field of Arabic literature and his works were widely studied and appreciated.

In the 12th century, Saleem ibn Yahya al-Andalusi was a prominent poet and philosopher from the Iberian Peninsula (modern-day Spain and Portugal). He was part of the vibrant cultural and intellectual scene during the time of the Moorish rule in the region.

During the 13th century, Saleem ibn Abdul-Aziz was a prominent Sufi mystic and spiritual teacher from Persia (modern-day Iran). He was known for his writings on Islamic mysticism and his teachings on the path of spiritual enlightenment.

In the 15th century, Saleem Shah Bahmani was a ruler of the Bahmani Sultanate, a powerful Muslim dynasty that ruled over parts of the Deccan Plateau in South India. He was known for his patronage of art, architecture, and literature during his reign.

These are just a few examples of notable historical figures who bore the name Saleem throughout different periods and regions influenced by the Arabic language and Islamic culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Saleem over time

The chart below shows babies named Saleem registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Saleem, the clearest high point is 2002. The latest England and Wales figure is 12 births in 2024, compared with 14 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Saleem
0471114199620102024

Decades

Saleem by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Saleem was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #2339 46 5
2010s #2499 90 10
2000s #2648 67 10
1990s #1506 32 4

Geography

Where Saleem is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Saleem. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Saleem ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #311 in 1985.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Saleem in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#311 in 1985

1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered

Related

Names similar to Saleem

FAQ

Saleem: questions and answers

How popular is the name Saleem in the UK right now?

In 2024, Saleem was ranked #1951 for boys in England and Wales, with 12 births registered.

When was Saleem most popular?

The peak year on record was 2002, with 14 babies registered as Saleem in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Saleem?

An Arabic masculine name meaning "safe" or "secure".

How many people are called Saleem in the UK?

A total of 235 babies have been registered as Saleem across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.

Where is Saleem most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Saleem ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #311 in 1985. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.