Fun Facts About the Name Saleha
- 144 babies named Saleha: U.S. records list 144 babies given the name Saleha from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Saleha Mean?
Saleha is an Arabic name meaning "virtuous," "righteous," or "good." It is the feminine form of the masculine name Salih (صالح). Both come from the Arabic root ṣ-l-ḥ, which has the core sense of being sound, upright, or in good order. The same root underlies ṣulḥ, meaning reconciliation or peace, so the root's range covers moral goodness as well as practical soundness or validity. The feminine adjective ṣāliḥah (صالحة) describes a woman who is good, upright, or pious.
Arabic spells the name with the feminine ending -ah, which English renders in several ways: Saleha, Saliha, Salihah, and Saliheh are transliterations of the same Arabic name, not separate names. The Turkish form is Saliha.
Saleha Name History & Origins
Salih is the name of a prophet in the Quran, sent to warn the people of Thamud; his story appears in several surahs, including 7, 11, and 26. The feminine Saleha is used alongside the masculine name in Muslim communities and shares its scriptural associations.
The vocabulary behind the name also appears independently in the Quran: the feminine plural ṣāliḥāt is used for righteous women (as in 4:34 and 66:5), and the phrase ʿamal ṣāliḥ, "righteous deed," runs throughout the text. The personal name draws on this same everyday religious vocabulary.
The name traveled with Arabic and with Islam. It is used in Arabic-speaking countries, in Iran as Saliheh, in Pakistan and India as Saleha or Saliha, in Turkey as Saliha, and in Malaysia and Indonesia as Saleha or Salihah. In the Ottoman period the Turkish form was borne by women of the ruling house, among them Saliha Dilaşub Sultan (died 1690), mother of Sultan Suleiman II, and Saliha Sultan, mother of Mahmud I, who held the position of valide sultan in the 1730s.
How Popular is the Name Saleha?
Saleha has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2008. Its best rank was #9,971 in 2008.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #16,840 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2023 | #13,217 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #12,058 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2021 | #12,005 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2020 | #11,949 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2019 | #17,548 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #17,698 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #15,897 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #16,090 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2013 | #10,854 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2009 | #14,948 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #9,971 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2005 | #14,214 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2002 | #15,037 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2000 | #17,081 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #14,076 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #13,029 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #15,250 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #13,091 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #15,053 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #11,441 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #11,622 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Saleha Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are spiritually intense and can sting or charm. Your name brings love and new starts into life and attracts money. In business, you are the creator and promoter of original ideas and usually enjoy considerable financial success. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Saleha's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Saleha's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.