Arash
Ancient Persian name meaning "having a noble spirit" or "braveheart".
Name Census estimates that about 922 living Americans carry the first name Arash. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Arash today is around 32 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Arash births was 1982 (41 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Arash. 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
922
~ 1 in 371,751 Americans
Peak year
1982
41 babies that year
Average age
32
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,187
Tracked since 1972
Popularity
Arash: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Arash from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 333 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arash 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 Arash during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Arashs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, Texas, New York recorded the most babies named Arash, while New York, Texas, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 110 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Arash
The name Arash is of Persian origin and dates back to ancient times in Iran. It is derived from the Old Persian name Arsha, meaning "male warrior" or "archer." The name is associated with strength, bravery, and skill in archery.
One of the earliest historical references to the name Arash can be found in the Shahnameh, the epic poem written by the renowned Persian poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th century. In this work, Arash is depicted as a legendary archer whose incredible archery skills helped define the borders of ancient Iran.
The name Arash has been consistently used throughout Persian history, with several notable figures bearing this name. One of the earliest was Arash Kamangir, a renowned archer who lived during the Sassanid era (224-651 CE). He is celebrated for his remarkable feats with the bow and arrow.
Another prominent figure with the name Arash was Arash Mirza, a prince and military commander during the Safavid dynasty (1501-1736 CE). He played a crucial role in the expansion of the Safavid Empire and is remembered for his strategic leadership and valor on the battlefield.
In more recent times, Arash Derambarsh (1953-2023) was a prominent French lawyer and politician of Iranian descent. He was known for his advocacy of human rights and his efforts to promote cultural understanding between France and Iran.
Arash Ferdowsi (1956-2018) was an acclaimed Iranian film director and screenwriter. His works often explored themes of Iranian culture, identity, and social issues, earning him critical acclaim both in Iran and internationally.
Arash Pourazar (born 1975) is a Swedish-Iranian businessman and entrepreneur. He is the founder of several successful technology companies and has been recognized for his contributions to the tech industry in Sweden.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the name Arash throughout history, highlighting its enduring presence and significance within Persian culture and beyond.
People
Arash + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Arash 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
Arash: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Arash?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 922 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Arash 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 371,751 US residents.
Is Arash a common name?
We classify Arash as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 953 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Arash most popular?
The single biggest year for Arash was 1982, when 41 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Arash is about 32 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Arash a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Arash 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.
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.