UK girl's name
Salmah
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "safety" or "peace".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2019. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Salmah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Salmah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2019 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5591, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 7 births.
This profile covers 33 England and Wales registrations across 9 recorded years from 2000 to 2019. 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 43% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 33 living people in the UK are called Salmah. 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 2020 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Salmah ranked #5591 for girls in England and Wales in 2019, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2009, when 7 girls were registered as Salmah.
- • About 33 living people in the UK are estimated to have Salmah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5591
2019
Births in 2019
3
Latest year
Peak year
2009
7 births
Estimated living
33
2026
Meaning
What does Salmah mean?
Salmah is a feminine Arabic name with roots dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Semitic word "salam," meaning peace, safety, or well-being. The name is closely associated with Islamic culture and has been widely used in various regions of the Middle East and North Africa.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Salmah can be found in the Quran, the central religious text of Islam. Salmah was the name of a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and is referenced in several verses. This connection to the Islamic faith has contributed to the name's enduring popularity among Muslim communities.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Salmah. In the 7th century, Salmah bint Amr al-Hadrami was a respected Islamic scholar and hadith narrator who played a crucial role in preserving and transmitting the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. Another prominent figure was Salmah bint Malik al-Ansariyah (594-683 CE), a companion of the Prophet and one of the earliest women to embrace Islam.
In more recent times, Salmah Musa (1926-2021) was a renowned Egyptian actress and dancer who gained international fame for her performances in several classic Egyptian films. Salmah Gadia (1974-present) is a South African politician and activist who has served as a member of the National Assembly since 2009.
Other notable individuals with the name Salmah include Salmah Arif (1913-1993), a pioneering Pakistani educator and women's rights activist, and Salmah Ismail (1939-present), a Malaysian singer and actress who has made significant contributions to the country's entertainment industry.
The name Salmah has transcended cultural boundaries and has been adopted by various communities worldwide, albeit with slight variations in spelling and pronunciation. Its enduring popularity can be attributed to its connection to the Islamic faith and its meaning of peace and well-being, which resonates across cultures.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Salmah over time
The chart below shows babies named Salmah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2000 to 2019. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Salmah, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2019, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Salmah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Salmah 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #5467 | 13 | 4 |
| 2000s | #3921 | 20 | 5 |
Related
Names similar to Salmah
- Sophie 103,803
- Sophia 46,936
- Scarlett 34,261
- Sienna 32,418
- Sofia 29,136
- Sarah 27,961
- Shannon 25,510
- Summer 24,167
- Sara 14,205
- Skye 13,654
- Samantha 12,697
- Stephanie 9,309
FAQ
Salmah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Salmah in the UK right now?
In 2019, Salmah was ranked #5591 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Salmah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2009, with 7 babies registered as Salmah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Salmah?
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "safety" or "peace".
How many people are called Salmah in the UK?
A total of 33 babies have been registered as Salmah across the 9 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.