Fun Facts About the Name Suleiman
- More than 1 thousand babies named Suleiman: U.S. records list 1,048 babies given the name Suleiman from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Suleiman Mean?
Suleiman is the Arabic form of the name of the biblical King Solomon. It goes back to Hebrew שְׁלֹמֹה (Shelomoh), which is commonly connected to the root sh-l-m, the same root behind shalom, meaning "peace, wholeness, well-being." On that basis the name is usually understood to mean "peaceful" or "peace."
The Hebrew Bible itself makes the link: in 1 Chronicles 22:9 God says of David's son that "his name shall be Solomon," and that he will give "peace and quietness" to Israel in his days - a wordplay on shalom. The name passed into Greek as Σολομών (Solomōn) and Latin as Salomon, and the Arabic form Sulaymān carries a long vowel and a yāʾ not present in the Hebrew. A minority of scholars have suggested other derivations, such as a connection with a word for "replacement" (shillem) or with a deity named Shalem, but the peace meaning is the customary one and the precise origin is still debated. Despite the resemblance, Suleiman is not related to the Arabic name Salman.
Suleiman Name History & Origins
The name belongs first to the biblical King Solomon, son of David and Bathsheba, remembered in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic tradition as a wise ruler. In the Quran, Sulaymān is a prophet-king given command over the jinn, the birds, and the wind, and Arabic translations of the Bible use Sulaymān for Solomon. Because of that shared figure, the name is used by Muslims and also by Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews, and it spread with Arabic and Islam from the Middle East across North Africa, the Balkans, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
The Ottoman Turkish form Süleyman was borne by several Ottoman sultans, most famously Süleyman I, who ruled from 1520 to 1566 and is called Kanuni ("the Lawgiver") in Ottoman sources and "the Magnificent" in European ones. Regional spellings developed as the name moved between languages: Sulaiman, Sulayman, Suleyman, Sulejman in Bosnian, Albanian, and Macedonian, and Sleiman in Lebanese Arabic. In the Philippines, Rajah Sulayman was a ruler of Manila in the sixteenth century, and Sulaiman remains a common given name in Malaysia, Indonesia, and the southern Philippines.
How Popular is the Name Suleiman?
Suleiman 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 2023. Its best rank was #1,677 in 2023.
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 | #1,777 | 91 | 0.0053% |
| 2024 | #1,785 | 92 | 0.0054% |
| 2023 | #1,677 | 102 | 0.0060% |
| 2022 | #2,404 | 59 | 0.0034% |
| 2021 | #2,054 | 72 | 0.0041% |
| 2020 | #1,960 | 74 | 0.0043% |
| 2019 | #2,167 | 66 | 0.0037% |
| 2018 | #2,573 | 50 | 0.0028% |
| 2017 | #3,241 | 36 | 0.0019% |
| 2016 | #2,831 | 43 | 0.0023% |
| 2015 | #2,638 | 47 | 0.0025% |
| 2014 | #2,924 | 40 | 0.0021% |
| 2013 | #3,399 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 2012 | #4,114 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 2011 | #4,797 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2010 | #4,505 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 2009 | #7,172 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2008 | #5,225 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2007 | #4,774 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 2005 | #8,209 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2004 | #8,809 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2003 | #7,747 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #7,551 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2001 | #6,870 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2000 | #7,323 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1999 | #11,387 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #6,765 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #9,115 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #8,743 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #6,291 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1993 | #7,523 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1992 | #6,075 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1988 | #6,338 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1985 | #7,457 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #4,103 | 10 | 0.0006% |
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.
Explore More Lists with Name Suleiman
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with S
How the Name Suleiman 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. Emergencies may raise your intuitive abilities in order to resolve conflict or situation. You become very creative under the pressure, and have quite original ideas to make the best out of it.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Suleiman's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Suleiman's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.