Adhem
An Arabic name meaning "servant of the Merciful One".
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Adhem. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Adhem today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Adhem births was 2012 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Adhem. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Adhem. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
2012
6 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2012 SSA rank
#10,805
Tracked since 2007
Popularity
Adhem: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Adhem from the 2000s through to the 2010s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 6 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
Adhem 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 Adhem during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Adhem
The name Adhem finds its origins in the Arabic language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Arabic word "adim," which means "earth" or "soil," suggesting a connection to nature and the land.
In Islamic tradition, Adhem is considered a variant of the name Adam, the name of the first man according to the Qur'an and the Bible. This association adds a layer of significance and meaning to the name, linking it to the origins of humanity.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Adhem can be found in the famous Sufi poem "The Conference of the Birds" by Farid ud-Din Attar, a 12th-century Persian poet and mystic. In this epic allegorical work, Adhem is depicted as a character representing humility and spiritual enlightenment.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Adhem. One such individual was Adhem Pasha (1672-1730), an Ottoman statesman and military leader who served as the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire from 1718 to 1730. He played a significant role in the military campaigns against the Safavid Empire and was known for his strategic acumen.
Another historical figure with the name Adhem was Adhem El-Sharqawi (1892-1973), an Egyptian political activist and writer who played a prominent role in the Egyptian nationalist movement against British colonial rule. He was a co-founder of the Wafd Party and served as its secretary-general for several years.
In the realm of literature, Adhem Ismail (1940-2000) was a renowned Syrian novelist and short story writer. His works explored themes of identity, alienation, and the complexities of modern Arab society. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential voices in contemporary Syrian literature.
The name Adhem has also made an appearance in religious contexts. Adhem Ibn Ata Al-Khurasani (936-969 CE) was a renowned Sufi mystic and ascetic from Khorasan (present-day Iran and Afghanistan). He is known for his teachings on humility and self-effacement, and his name has become associated with Sufism and spiritual enlightenment.
Finally, Adhem Abdel Maqsoud (1926-2018) was an Egyptian actor and filmmaker who left an indelible mark on the Arab cinema industry. He appeared in numerous films and television shows, often portraying iconic characters that resonated with audiences across the Arab world.
People
Adhem + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Adhem as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Adhem: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Adhem?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Adhem 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 31,159,485 US residents.
Is Adhem a common name?
We classify Adhem as "Very Rare". It ranks above 30.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Adhem most popular?
The single biggest year for Adhem was 2012, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Adhem is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Adhem in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Adhem a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Adhem 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.
Is Adhem still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Adhem in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Adhem can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Adhem as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans are named Adhem on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.