I guess I'm crazy and hormonal too. I like it for either gender.

I could be wrong, but I think the Arabic name/word is not pronounced Say-lem, but rather Sah-lahm. And as a PP mentioned, when given as a name, it's a boys' name.

I think it sounds like a character on The Bold and The Beautiful.

OP, Salem is a super-common Muslim name so get ready to explain why you named your son an almost-Muhammad name.

Not a fan, although we do know someone who named their kid that.

OP here. thanks for the input! Salem Witch trials never even entered my mind when I was writing the original post. I guess when you grow in another town called Winston-Salem, you don't think about the other connotations. I definitely don't want witch trials to be the first thing people think of!

Is the kid going to have a career as a fortune teller, spiritist, psychic, soothsayer, witch doctor, herbalist, mary kay cosmetics seller?

i like the way it sounds but also immediately thought of salem witch trials.

I also think of the town in Massachusetts. It is a lovely town. And so I like the name too.

Horrible...and the basis for really not funny "jokes" from strangers where the poor kid has to chuckle ha ha and cringe inside. More like an albatross than a name.

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like a made up name, which I'm not a fan of, although some people like that.

I also thought of the Salem witch trials.

Salem Wichita or Salem Bernwich ? We have to live with our names forever.

OP, not a bad name, but I honestly could not tell if it is a boy or a girls name. Feels like an "it" name to me for some reason.

How about Lucky Strike boy or girl? Or Pearl Harbor for a girl?

I think of a beautiful Massachusetts town. I say go for it.

Anonymous wrote:It instantly makes me think of Salem witch trials and Salem the cat from Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

to PP: Winston? Isn't that a cigarette? Who wants to call after a 3 year old Winston? That's a grandpa name.

Nah, it's a NASCAR race!