Altariq
Originating from Arabic, meaning "the way" or "the path".
Name Census estimates that about 205 living Americans carry the first name Altariq. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Altariq today is around 33 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Altariq births was 1997 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Altariq. 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.
People living today
205
~ 1 in 1,671,972 Americans
Peak year
1997
16 babies that year
Average age
33
years old
2016 SSA rank
#10,821
Tracked since 1975
Popularity
Altariq: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Altariq from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 94 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Altariq 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 Altariq during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Altariqs live
Origin
Meaning and history of Altariq
The name Altariq finds its origins in the Arabic language, with roots dating back to the 7th century CE. It is derived from the Arabic word "tariqa," which means "path" or "way." The name likely emerged during the early years of Islamic civilization and the spread of Arabic culture across the Middle East and North Africa.
In its earliest usage, Altariq may have been a descriptive name given to individuals who were seen as pathfinders or pioneers, guiding others on a particular path or journey. It could also have been associated with spiritual or intellectual pursuits, referring to those who sought enlightenment or knowledge through a specific "way" or philosophy.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Altariq can be found in the writings of renowned 9th-century Arab philosopher and scholar, Al-Kindi. He mentions an individual named Altariq ibn Yahya, who was a prominent mathematician and astronomer during the Abbasid Caliphate.
Throughout the centuries, several notable figures have borne the name Altariq. One such individual was Altariq ibn Ziyad, a Berber Muslim commander who led the Umayyad conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in 711 CE, marking the beginning of the Islamic rule in what is now Spain and Portugal.
Another prominent figure was Altariq al-Bakri, a 10th-century Arab geographer and historian from Andalusia, who authored the famous book "Al-Masalik wa'l-Mamalik" (The Roads and the Kingdoms), detailing the routes and kingdoms of the Islamic world at the time.
In the 12th century, Altariq ibn Abi Bakr al-Qaysi was a renowned Arab poet and philosopher from Seville, known for his eloquent verses and contributions to the literary traditions of the Andalusian region.
The name Altariq also gained prominence in the 13th century with the birth of Altariq ibn Yusuf al-Ansari, a Sufi mystic and scholar from Medina, who played a significant role in the development of Islamic mysticism and spiritual practices.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the name Altariq throughout history, reflecting its deep-rooted connection to the Arabic language and Islamic civilization, as well as its association with various intellectual, spiritual, and literary pursuits.
People
Altariq + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Altariq 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
Altariq: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Altariq?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 205 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Altariq 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 1,671,972 US residents.
Is Altariq a common name?
We classify Altariq as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 211 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Altariq most popular?
The single biggest year for Altariq was 1997, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Altariq is about 33 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 Altariq in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Altariq a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Altariq 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 Altariq still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Altariq 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 Altariq 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 are called Altariq?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.