Given name & surname
Salma
“one who is healthy and safe”·“one who is peaceful and safe”
Salma is a variant of Salima. One Arabic interpretation is “one who is healthy and safe.” Salma is a variant of Salama. One Egyptian interpretation is “one who is peaceful and safe.”
Original Hebrewשלמא
Meaning & origin
What it means
Salma is a variant of Salima. One Arabic interpretation is “one who is healthy and safe.” Salma is a variant of Salama. One Egyptian interpretation is “one who is peaceful and safe.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Arabic.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1918. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Salma appears in 1 Chronicles 2:51, 1 Chronicles 2:54.
- 1 Chronicles 2:51
- 1 Chronicles 2:54
From biblical name research
Salma through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 10,316
- 5 boys · 10,311 girls
- Most popular year
- 1999
- 442 babies
- 2025
- 278
- #937 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −8%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 278 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 937 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 8.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 442 in 1999. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (47). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 12,322 as a first name in 2020; 350 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Salma’s family of names
In Turkish usage, Salma has a later derivative in Саламинов. In Spanish usage, Salma has a conventional equivalent in the English form Selma. Salma has a related form in Salima.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Salma has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its Arabic roots to each of them.
5 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 5
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 7
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Salma
- Salma HayekMexican and American actress (born 1966)
- Salma ParallueloSpanish association football playerborn 2003
- Princess Lalla Salma of MoroccoMoroccan royalborn 1978
- Salma Aghaactress, singerborn 1956
- Salma Khadra JayyusiPalestinian poet, writer, translator and anthologist (1926–2023)
- Princess Salma bint AbdullahJordanian Royalborn 2000
- Selma BaccarTunisian film director and politicianborn 1945
- Salma MuminGhanaian actressborn 1989
- Salma KhatunBangladeshi woman cricketerborn 1990
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Salma, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Hanna
“God is gracious”
>99% girls
Yasmine
“resembling the jasmine flower”
>99% girls
Dalia
“dahlia” · “one who is gentle”
>99% girls
Fatima
Fatima is used as a given name and a surname. One Arabic interpretation is “the perfect woman; in the Koran, a daughter of Muhammad.”
>99% girls
Jayla
“one who is charitable”
>99% girls
Yasmin
“resembling the jasmine flower”
>99% girls
Laila
“a beauty of the night; born at nightfall”
>99% girls
Aliyah
Aliyah is used as a given name. One Arabic interpretation is “an ascender; one having the highest social standing.”
>99% girls