Arqam
A masculine Arabic name translating to "highest level" or "elevated place".
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Arqam. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Arqam today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Arqam births was 2022 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Arqam. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Arqam with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Arqam. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
2022
8 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2022 SSA rank
#9,036
Tracked since 2022
Popularity
Arqam: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Arqam 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 Arqam during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 8 | 0 | 8 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Arqam
The name Arqam is derived from the Arabic language and has its origins in the Middle East. It is believed to have originated in the 7th century CE, during the early years of the Islamic civilization.
Arqam is a masculine name that comes from the Arabic root word "r-q-m," which means "to inscribe" or "to mark." This root word is also the source of the Arabic word "raqam," which means "number" or "numeral." The name Arqam may have been given to individuals who were skilled in writing, calligraphy, or numeracy.
In Islamic history, Arqam ibn Abi al-Arqam was a prominent companion of the Prophet Muhammad and one of the early converts to Islam. He hosted the Prophet and his followers in his house, which became known as the "House of Islam" or "Dar al-Arqam." This house served as a meeting place for the early Muslims, where they would gather to learn about the new religion and hold their prayers.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Arqam can be found in the works of the renowned Arab poet and writer, Al-Mutanabbi (915-965 CE). He mentioned an individual named Arqam in one of his poems, suggesting that the name was in use during that time period.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Arqam. One of the most famous was Arqam bin Abdul Ghafur (1285-1348 CE), a renowned Sufi scholar and spiritual leader from Persia. He was widely respected for his teachings and writings on Islamic mysticism.
Another prominent figure was Arqam al-Nabulsi (1651-1711 CE), a Syrian scholar and jurist who made significant contributions to the field of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh). He authored several influential works on Islamic law and was highly regarded in his time.
In the modern era, one of the most well-known individuals with the name Arqam was Arqam Ayyash (1951-1991), a Palestinian military leader and co-founder of the Palestinian military group known as the Al-Qassam Brigades. He played a crucial role in the Palestinian resistance movement against Israeli occupation.
Arqam bin Ariffin (born 1949) is a Malaysian politician and former Chief Minister of the state of Kelantan. He served in this position from 1990 to 1995 and was known for his efforts to promote Islamic values and policies during his tenure.
Arqam Najjar (born 1989) is a Jordanian long-distance runner who has represented his country in international competitions, including the Olympic Games and World Championships. He holds several national records in long-distance running events.
People
Arqam + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Arqam 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
Arqam: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Arqam?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Arqam 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 42,844,292 US residents.
Is Arqam a common name?
We classify Arqam as "Very Rare". It ranks above 24.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 8 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Arqam most popular?
The single biggest year for Arqam was 2022, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Arqam is about 4 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 Arqam in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Arqam a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Arqam 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 Arqam still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Arqam 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 Arqam 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 the name Arqam?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.