UK boy's name
Saleh
An Arabic name meaning righteous, pious, or virtuous.
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.
Saleh is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Saleh popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #880, with 36 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 45 births.
This profile covers 525 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 80% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 526 living people in the UK are called Saleh. 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
- • Saleh ranked #880 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 36 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 45 boys were registered as Saleh.
- • Saleh ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #614 in 2023.
- • About 526 living people in the UK are estimated to have Saleh as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#880
2024
Births in 2024
36
Latest year
Peak year
2023
45 births
Estimated living
526
2026
Meaning
What does Saleh mean?
The name Saleh has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "salih," which means "pious," "righteous," or "virtuous." The name is closely associated with the concept of living a life in accordance with religious and moral principles.
The name Saleh can be traced back to early Islamic texts and historical records. In the Quran, the holy book of Islam, Saleh is mentioned as one of the prophets sent by God to guide the people of Thamud, an ancient Arab tribe. The story of Prophet Saleh and his people is recounted in several chapters of the Quran, highlighting his efforts to preach monotheism and warn against idolatry.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Saleh was Saleh ibn Abd al-Quddus al-Baghdadi, a renowned Muslim scholar and jurist who lived in Baghdad during the 9th century CE. He was known for his expertise in Islamic law and his contributions to the field of hadith (sayings and traditions of Prophet Muhammad).
Throughout history, there have been several notable figures who carried the name Saleh. Saleh ibn Mirdas al-Sulami, a companion of Prophet Muhammad, was known for his bravery and participation in various battles during the early Islamic era. Saleh ibn Nasr, a 9th-century Arab mathematician and astronomer, made significant contributions to the development of trigonometry and the study of celestial bodies.
In the modern era, Saleh bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who lived from 1876 to 1876, was a prominent member of the Saudi royal family and served as the ruler of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, for a brief period in the late 19th century. Saleh Kamel, an Egyptian businessman and billionaire, is another well-known figure who has made a significant impact in the business world.
Saleh Ali Saleh, a former President of Yemen who ruled from 1990 to 2011, is perhaps one of the most recognizable individuals with this name in recent times. Despite his controversial tenure, he played a significant role in shaping the political landscape of Yemen during his time in power.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Saleh over time
The chart below shows babies named Saleh 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 Saleh, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 36 births in 2024, compared with 45 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Saleh by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Saleh 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 | #1005 | 155 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1241 | 212 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1385 | 132 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1929 | 26 | 4 |
Geography
Where Saleh is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Saleh. 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.
Saleh ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #614 in 2023.
Across the UK
Saleh in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#614 in 2023
1 years of NRS records, 4 total registered
Related
Names similar to Saleh
- Samuel 108,505
- Sebastian 33,008
- Sam 20,889
- Stanley 16,354
- Sonny 15,028
- Sean 15,006
- Scott 12,587
- Seth 9,841
- Syed 9,050
- Stephen 8,884
- Spencer 8,333
- Steven 6,970
FAQ
Saleh: questions and answers
How popular is the name Saleh in the UK right now?
In 2024, Saleh was ranked #880 for boys in England and Wales, with 36 births registered.
When was Saleh most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 45 babies registered as Saleh in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Saleh?
An Arabic name meaning righteous, pious, or virtuous.
How many people are called Saleh in the UK?
A total of 525 babies have been registered as Saleh across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 4 more in Scotland.
Where is Saleh most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Saleh ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #614 in 2023. 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.