Psalm
A word of Hebrew origin meaning "sacred song" or "poem".
Name Census estimates that about 838 living Americans carry the first name Psalm. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 67.2% of registrations being male. The average person named Psalm today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Psalm births was 2024 (235 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Psalm. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
838
~ 1 in 409,015 Americans
Peak year
2024
235 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,173
Tracked since 1999
Gender
Gender distribution for Psalm
Psalm is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 844 total registrations, 567 (67.2%) were male and 277 (32.8%) were female.
Psalm as a male name
- Ranked #1,173 in 2024
- 177 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (177 births)
Psalm as a female name
- Ranked #2,868 in 2024
- 58 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (58 births)
Popularity
Psalm: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Psalm from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 634 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Psalm by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Psalm during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Psalms live
The SSA's state-level files cover 16 states and territories. Texas, California, Florida recorded the most babies named Psalm, while South Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Mexico recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 18 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Psalm
The name Psalm is derived from the Greek word "psalmos," which means "song sung to the accompaniment of a stringed instrument." This word itself comes from the ancient Greek verb "psallein," meaning "to pluck or twang a string." The name has its origins in the biblical Book of Psalms, a collection of sacred poems and hymns found in the Old Testament.
The Psalms were originally composed in ancient Hebrew and were meant to be sung or chanted during religious ceremonies and worship services. The name Psalm is closely associated with the biblical figure King David, who is traditionally attributed as the author of many of the psalms found in the Old Testament. In the Christian tradition, the Psalms are an integral part of the liturgy and are often recited or sung during Mass and other religious services.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Psalm was Psalm West, an English writer and poet who lived in the 17th century. He was born in 1585 and is known for his work "The Psalms of David Translated into Lyric Verse," published in 1643.
Another notable figure named Psalm was Psalm Isherwood, an English Quaker and religious writer born in 1653. He was a prominent advocate for religious freedom and wrote extensively on Quaker beliefs and practices.
In the 18th century, Psalm Singer was a notable English composer and organist born in 1740. He was known for his contributions to church music and is credited with composing several hymns and anthems.
Psalm Wilbur Moore was an American Baptist minister and educator who lived in the 19th century. Born in 1818, he served as the president of several theological seminaries and was a prominent figure in promoting education among African Americans.
In the 20th century, Psalm Isadora was a notable American modern dancer and choreographer. Born in 1905, she was a pioneer in the field of modern dance and was known for her innovative and groundbreaking choreography.
These examples demonstrate the rich historical and cultural significance of the name Psalm, which is deeply rooted in religious traditions and has been borne by individuals from various backgrounds and disciplines throughout the centuries.
People
Psalm + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Psalm as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with P
Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Psalm: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Psalm?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 838 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Psalm going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 409,015 US residents.
Is Psalm a common name?
We classify Psalm as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 844 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Psalm most popular?
The single biggest year for Psalm was 2024, when 235 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Psalm is about 6 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Psalm a male name?
Yes, 67.2% of people registered as Psalm in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.