Arsal
An Arabic name meaning lion or lion-hearted.
Name Census estimates that about 140 living Americans carry the first name Arsal. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Arsal today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Arsal births was 2013 (15 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Arsal. 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 Arsal with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
140
~ 1 in 2,448,245 Americans
Peak year
2013
15 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2023 SSA rank
#10,930
Tracked since 1998
Popularity
Arsal: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Arsal from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 73 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Arsal remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arsal 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 Arsal 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 Arsal
The name Arsal is believed to have its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "ars" which means "lion" or "brave," suggesting that the name may have been given to individuals who exhibited courage or strength.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Arsal can be traced back to the 8th century, when it was mentioned in various Arabic literary works and historical texts. During this time, the name was particularly popular among the Arabic-speaking populations of the Middle East and North Africa.
In the Islamic tradition, there are few direct references to the name Arsal in religious scriptures or texts. However, the name's association with bravery and strength aligns with values celebrated in Islamic teachings, which may have contributed to its popularity among Muslim communities.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Arsal. One of the earliest known figures was Arsal ibn Mundhir (born around 690 CE), a prominent Arab military leader and governor during the Umayyad Caliphate. He played a significant role in the expansion of Islamic rule in Central Asia.
Another historical figure with the name Arsal was Arsal ibn Sahl al-Tustari (born around 818 CE), a renowned Sufi mystic and scholar from Persia. His teachings and writings on Islamic spirituality and mysticism had a lasting impact on the development of Sufism.
In the 12th century, Arsal al-Shushtari (born around 1135 CE) was a celebrated Persian poet and philosopher. His works, which explored themes of love, mysticism, and the human condition, earned him widespread recognition and influence in the literary circles of the time.
During the 13th century, Arsal al-Wazir (born around 1210 CE) was a prominent statesman and vizier in the Ayyubid Sultanate of Egypt and Syria. He played a crucial role in the administration and diplomacy of the region, and his political acumen was highly regarded.
In more recent history, Arsal Khan (born in 1801 CE), was a prominent military leader and chief of the Barakzai tribe in Afghanistan. He played a significant role in the Afghan civil wars of the 19th century and was known for his strategic military prowess.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Arsal throughout history, reflecting its enduring presence across various cultures and time periods.
People
Arsal + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Arsal 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
Arsal: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Arsal?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 140 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Arsal 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 2,448,245 US residents.
Is Arsal a common name?
We classify Arsal as "Very Rare". It ranks above 69.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 141 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Arsal most popular?
The single biggest year for Arsal was 2013, when 15 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Arsal is about 14 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 Arsal in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Arsal a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Arsal 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 Arsal still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Arsal 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 Arsal 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 Arsal?
If you just want to know how many people have the name Arsal, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.