By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 12 pages
of 12
Arabic
"handsome; beautifier, improver"
Hassan is a handsome and familiar Arabic choice, which has appeared in the US Top 1000 every year since 1971. The name can be viewed as a spelling variation of Hasan meaning "beautiful, handsome" or…
"increase, growth"
Zayd (or its most common variant Zaid), an old and still well used Arabic name, was a enslaved man whom Muhammad adopted as his son.
"a friend to talk with in the evening"
Samir has a pleasing sound and lovely meaning. One of those distinctive names that can also fit right in—and you could always call him Sam.
"most commended, praisworthy"
As a form of the popular Arabic name, Hamid, Ahmad could be seen as a contraction for one of the 99 names for Allah, al-Ḥamīd , however, it might also be a variation of Muhammad as they share the…
Welsh; Arabic
"ardent lord; studious, interpreter"
A name that crosses cultures, Idris was virtually unknown in the US before the emergence of the charismatic actor Idris Elba, first on The Wire and then for depicting Nelson Mandela. Since then, the…
"noble, generous"
A favorite Muslim name, Kareem first appeared on the US Top 1000 list in 1972 (jumping in at Number 405!), coinciding with the early career of basketball great turned writer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born…
"greatly praised"
This variation of Ahmad is one of the most popular Arabic names among Muslim families the world over and is now the most used spelling in the USA. It shares the same root as other popular Arabic…
"helper, supporter"
A popular name in the Middle East and one of the most evocative choices of its genre. One of the 99 names of Allah. The feminine form is Zahira.
"the chosen one"
Mustafa is a name widely used in Turkey, as it was the given name of the man popularly known as Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey. Mustafa is also an epithet of the prophet Muhammad and was the…
"servant of Allah"
Abdullah is an alternative transcription of the name Abd Allah, which translates to "servant of Allah". Popular across throughout the Muslim world, it ranks in the Turkish Top 100 and the UK Top 200.…
Hebrew and Arabic
"he will enlighten, he shines; to be visible, shining"
This Hebrew and Arabic name hit the US Top 300 in 2004 via an unusual inspiration: A Mexican pop singer and telenovela star known simply as Yahir, who was himself named after a Brazilian soccer…
Diminutive of Nathanael or Gwenael, French, Breton, Arabic
"gift of God; generous; attainer, winner"
Nael - or Naël as it is often spelled - originated as a French diminutive of names ending in -nael, though in recent years, it has risen up the charts as a standalone choice. A Top 100 name in…
"immortal, everlasting"
Khalid has flirted with the Top 1000 for several decades now, climbing back on in 2015 after more than a decade's absence. Its return could be in part because of the popularity of snapchat…
Spelling variation of Amir
Spelling variant Ameer is much less popular than the original. An Amir is a ruler in the Arab world.
Spelling variation of Xavier
This phonetic version is occasionally used and removes any confusion about whether the X is fully pronounced or not.
Arabic variation of Ishmael, Hebrew
"God will hear"
This classic, handsome Arabic name — cognate of the Hebrew Ishmael — was chosen by Tan and Rob France for their son born in 2021. Ismail is the preferred spelling in England, Germany, Malaysia,…
Persian, Arabic, Irish
"king, royalty; universe, cosmos; essence, being; ancient"
Kiyan is a cross-cultural choice with a familiar and approachable sound. It has its roots in Persian where it means "king, "royalty" or "high status", though it may also be interpreted as coming from…
Kareem is the more popular form in the US, thanks to basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but Karim is right on his heels after being among the fastest-rising names of 2022. French soccer player…
Arabic, Sanskrit, Azerbaijani, Hebrew
"merchant; woods, grove; variant of Canaa; low, humble"
Kanan is multicultural name with a number of different origins, making it a versatile choice that travels well. A Top 50 choice in Azerbaijan, Kanan also made a brief appearance in the US Top 1000 in…
Diminutive of Samuel, and Arabic
"exalted"
Soundalike cousin of Sammy, cute but slight on its own.
