NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Saleema

A feminine Arabic name meaning "safe", "secure", or "peaceful".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2021. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Saleema is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Saleema popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5581, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 4 births.

This profile covers 13 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 1996 to 2021. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 13 living people in the UK are called Saleema. 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 2022 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Saleema ranked #5581 for girls in England and Wales in 2021, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1997, when 4 girls were registered as Saleema.
  • About 13 living people in the UK are estimated to have Saleema as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5581

2021

Births in 2021

3

Latest year

Peak year

1997

4 births

Estimated living

13

2026

Meaning

What does Saleema mean?

The given name Saleema has its origins in the Arabic language. It is derived from the Arabic root word "salima," which means "to be safe" or "to be unharmed." The name is believed to have originated in the Middle East, particularly in the Arabian Peninsula, during the early Islamic era.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Saleema can be found in historical Islamic texts and literature. It was a name given to girls born during times of peace and harmony, symbolizing the parents' hope for their daughter to live a safe and protected life.

Historically, the name Saleema has been associated with notable figures in the Islamic world. One such figure was Saleema bint Yazid al-Kalbi, a renowned female poet and scholar who lived in the 8th century CE in present-day Iraq. She was known for her contributions to Arabic literature and her expertise in genealogy.

Another notable bearer of the name was Saleema al-Samaani, a 10th-century Islamic scholar and lexicographer from Merv, a city in modern-day Turkmenistan. She wrote extensively on Arabic grammar and linguistics, and her works were widely studied and referenced by scholars of her time.

In the 12th century, there was Saleema bint Muhammed al-Muqri, a renowned Islamic scholar and teacher from Damascus, Syria. She was widely respected for her knowledge of the Quran and Islamic jurisprudence, and she taught many students who went on to become prominent scholars in their own right.

During the 14th century, a woman named Saleema al-Andalusiyya was a prominent figure in the Islamic intellectual circles of Andalusia (modern-day Spain). She was a respected poet, scholar, and calligrapher, and her works were widely admired for their elegance and erudition.

In the 16th century, Saleema Begum was a powerful and influential woman in the Mughal Empire of South Asia. She was the wife of the Mughal Emperor Akbar and played a significant role in the political and cultural affairs of the empire during her husband's reign.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Saleema. The name has continued to be used across various cultures and regions influenced by the Arabic language and Islamic traditions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Saleema over time

The chart below shows babies named Saleema registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2021. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Saleema, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2021, compared with 4 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Saleema
01234199620082021

Decades

Saleema by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Saleema 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 #5581 3 1
2000s #5201 3 1
1990s #3485 7 2

Related

Names similar to Saleema

FAQ

Saleema: questions and answers

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

In 2021, Saleema was ranked #5581 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Saleema most popular?

The peak year on record was 1997, with 4 babies registered as Saleema in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Saleema?

A feminine Arabic name meaning "safe", "secure", or "peaceful".

How many people are called Saleema in the UK?

A total of 13 babies have been registered as Saleema across the 4 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

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.