Psalm

At a Glance

Meaning

A sacred song or hymn, originally sung to harp accompaniment

Origin

Greek (via Latin psalmus)

Gender

Neutral

Pronunciation

SAHMListen

Psalm is pronounced SAHM (IPA /ˈsɑːm/), and it traces to the Greek word "psalmos" — a song played to harp-plucking — by way of Latin "psalmus," giving it the meaning "a sacred song or hymn, originally sung to harp accompaniment." You may see it described as a Hebrew word, but that's not quite right: Hebrew is the language of the Bible's Book of Psalms, not of the English word itself, which is Greek in origin. Psalm is used as a name for any gender.

Meaning & Origin of Psalm

Meaning: A sacred song or hymn, originally sung to harp accompaniment.

Origin: Greek (via Latin psalmus).

A common claim: Psalm means 'sacred song' and is a Hebrew word Actually: The word 'psalm' is Greek in origin ('psalmos,' a song played to harp-plucking, via Latin 'psalmus'); Hebrew is the language of the Bible's Book of Psalms, not of the English word itself.

Source: Wiktionary.

How to Pronounce Psalm

Popularity of Psalm

Psalm ranked #1173 on the Social Security Administration's list in 2024, given to 177 babies that year — and since Social Security data on file for the name runs from 1999 to 2024, that 2024 mark is also its peak rank over the full period.

Names Like Psalm

These names share Psalm’s style, era or origin.

• Arie
• Elan
• Elia
• Hadar
• Isa
• Jamie

FAQ

What does the name Psalm mean?

A sacred song or hymn, originally sung to harp accompaniment. (Source: Wiktionary)

How do you pronounce Psalm?

Psalm is pronounced SAHM (IPA: /ˈsɑːm/).

Is Psalm a popular name right now?

Psalm is at its highest recorded popularity right now, ranked #1173 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1999–2024.)

Make Psalm Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Psalm, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.