Salwa

A girl's name of Arabic origin with 855 recorded U.S. births.

Girl's name#4438 in 2024Declining

Meaning & Origin

salute, salvo, volley (concentrated fire from pieces of artillery)

Salwa is a girl's baby name of Arabic origin, meaning 'solace,' 'comfort,' or 'consolation.' In the Quran, the word salwa refers to the quail that God sent as nourishment to the Israelites in the desert — a symbol of divine comfort and provision.

Widely used across the Arab world, Salwa is a name of quiet beauty and deep spiritual meaning, chosen for daughters who are seen as a source of peace and joy.

EtymologyShow more

The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Salwa's final sounds are open, warm — a soft ending that crosses many language boundaries. In English-language naming, many feminine names end on open vowels or soft consonants, creating a melodic, approachable quality. Salwa follows that feminine pattern.

Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Salwa's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.

At a Glance

855

Total births

Since 1961

2017

Peak

40 births

1961

First recorded

64 years of data

Compare Salwa with another name

Popularity Over Time

Salwa climbed 4189 spots in the last 20 years — from #8627 to #4438.

First appeared: 1961Peak: 2017 (40 births)Current: #4438

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Salwa
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2020s	164	#4379	▼
2010s	291	#5202	▲
2000s	174	#7135	▲
1990s	127	#7716	▲
1980s	60	#9254	▲
1970s	33	#8145	▲
1960s	6	#6424	—

The Story of Salwa

A Gen Alpha name

Peaking in 2017, Salwa is a fresh, modern favorite. Girls named Salwa are most likely born between 2007 and 2024.

How rare is Salwa?

Only about 1 in every 112,500 babies born in 2024 was named Salwa — a truly uncommon choice.

The journey through the decades

First appeared in the records in 1961, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 2010s with 291 births that decade, and remains solidly popular today.

Salwa by the numbers

Would fill 18 school buses
Meeting one Salwa per day would take 2.3 years

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(49 years, 1961–2024)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Salwa
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2024	32	#4438	-8 (-20.0%)
2023	40	#3822	+13 (48.1%)
2022	27	#5000	-4 (-12.9%)
2021	31	#4490	-3 (-8.8%)
2020	34	#4146	+4 (13.3%)
2019	30	#4632	-10 (-25.0%)
2018	40	#3782	0
2017	40	#3829	+8 (25.0%)
2016	32	#4507	-5 (-13.5%)
2015	37	#4057	+5 (15.6%)
2014	32	#4535	+6 (23.1%)
2013	26	#5288	+10 (62.5%)
2012	16	#7731	-3 (-15.8%)
2011	19	#6801	0
2010	19	#6857	-2 (-9.5%)
2009	21	#6510	+5 (31.3%)
2008	16	#8044	-3 (-15.8%)
2007	19	#7048	-7 (-26.9%)
2006	26	#5348	+7 (36.8%)
2005	19	#6489	+6 (46.2%)

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Salwa a boy's or girl's name?

Salwa is primarily a girl's name.

When was Salwa most popular?

Salwa reached its peak popularity in 2017 with 40 births that year. It is currently ranked #4438 in the U.S.

How popular is the name Salwa?

Salwa is currently ranked #4438 in the U.S. (2024). It has been given to 855 babies since 1961.

Explore More

By Length5-letter names By OriginArabic names By EndingNames in -a TrendingRising names RankingsFull rankings

Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1961–2024