Saleh
A name of Arabic origin meaning “righteous” or “good,” often used as a personal name and later adopted as a surname.
The #3,682 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 31,974 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Saleh comes from Arabic ṣāliḥ, a word meaning “righteous,” “virtuous,” or “good.” As a surname, it usually began as a patronymic or family-name form taken from a given name rather than from an English-style inherited surname tradition. In many cases it reflects a Muslim personal name that became hereditary in modern times.
History
The historical excerpt only shows Saleh as one of several Arabic names, which fits its long use as a common Arabic given name. As a surname, it is especially associated with Arabic-speaking and Muslim communities across the Middle East, North Africa, and the wider diaspora. English-language sources sometimes spell it Saleh, Salih, or Salah depending on transliteration.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The Arabic root behind Saleh is also used in many everyday words connected with soundness, fitness, or reform.
From the historical record
“Aboussleman . (Abou-Suleiman), Eben, Enis, Morgiana, Sidey (Sidi), Nooman, Aoudette (Aoudat?), Nauman, Bali- man, Saleh, Parvis, Cozad, Kodad, Kodada (Codadad?), Ba- doura, Douben (Doubau), - Saydi, Sadi, Sahadi, Kaus, Coobad (Kobad), Zall, Saura, Tur, Tus, Kustan, Roustan, Rostan, Hussin (Hussein), Sawush…”
— A Grammar of American SurnamesNotable people named Saleh
- Amrullah Saleh (b. 1972)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.