Shulem
A Yiddish name meaning "peace, perfection".
Name Census estimates that about 1,482 living Americans carry the first name Shulem. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Shulem today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shulem births was 2023 (92 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shulem. 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.
Key insights
- • Shulem is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 16 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.5K
~ 1 in 231,278 Americans
Peak year
2023
92 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,022
Tracked since 1959
Popularity
Shulem: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shulem from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 534 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Shulem remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shulem 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 Shulem during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Shulems live
Origin
Meaning and history of Shulem
The name Shulem originates from the Hebrew language and Jewish culture. It is a variation of the Hebrew name Shlomo, which is derived from the Hebrew word "shalom," meaning peace. The name Shulem is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages in Jewish communities across Europe.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shulem can be found in the Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism, which mentions a sage named Shulem. This suggests that the name was in use among Jewish communities as early as the 3rd to 6th centuries CE.
In the 11th century, a renowned Jewish philosopher and scholar, Shlomo Ibn Gabirol, was known by the name Shulem. Born in Malaga, Spain, in 1021, he made significant contributions to Jewish philosophy and poetry. His works, such as "Keter Malkhut" (The Kingly Crown), had a lasting impact on Jewish thought.
Another notable figure with the name Shulem was Shulem Shvadron, an Israeli writer and poet born in 1905 in Ukraine. His works, which often explored themes of Jewish identity and the Israeli experience, earned him recognition as one of the leading voices in modern Hebrew literature.
In the 18th century, Shulem Zalman, a prominent Hasidic rabbi and leader, lived in Ukraine. He was known for his teachings and writings, which influenced the development of the Hasidic movement within Judaism.
The name Shulem also appeared in the 19th century, with Shulem Aleichem being one of the most famous bearers. Born in 1859 in Ukraine, he was a renowned Yiddish author and playwright, known for his humorous and insightful depictions of Jewish life in Eastern Europe. His works, such as "Tevye the Dairyman," have become classics of Yiddish literature.
Throughout history, the name Shulem has been closely associated with the Jewish tradition and has been carried by scholars, writers, and religious leaders who have made significant contributions to Jewish culture and thought.
People
Shulem + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shulem as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Shulem: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shulem?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,482 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shulem 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 231,278 US residents.
Is Shulem a common name?
We classify Shulem as "Rare". It ranks above 92.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,503 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shulem most popular?
The single biggest year for Shulem was 2023, when 92 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shulem is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Shulem a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shulem 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.