Emad
A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "pillar" or "support".
Name Census estimates that about 788 living Americans carry the first name Emad. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Emad today is around 22 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Emad births was 2023 (36 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Emad. 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
788
~ 1 in 434,967 Americans
Peak year
2023
36 babies that year
Average age
22
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,532
Tracked since 1971
Popularity
Emad: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Emad from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 213 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Emad remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Emad 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 Emad during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Emads live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, Michigan, New York recorded the most babies named Emad, while Texas, New York, Michigan recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 24 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Emad
The name Emad has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "Imad," which means "support" or "pillar." The name is thought to have first emerged during the medieval period in the Middle East and North Africa.
One of the earliest known historical references to the name Emad can be found in the writings of the famous Arab poet and philosopher, Abu al-Ala al-Maʿarri (973-1057 CE). In his work, he mentions an individual named Emad al-Din, which translates to "Pillar of the Faith."
During the Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258 CE), the name Emad gained popularity among the intellectual and political elite. One notable figure was Emad al-Mulk al-Isfahani (1119-1189 CE), a prominent vizier and statesman who served under the Seljuk Sultan Sanjar.
Another historical figure with the name Emad was Emad al-Din Zengi (1085-1146 CE), a prominent military leader and the founder of the Zengid dynasty. He played a significant role in the struggle against the Crusaders in the Levant region.
In the 13th century, the name Emad was associated with the famous Islamic philosopher and polymath, Emad al-Din al-Isfahani (1201-1274 CE). He was renowned for his contributions to various fields, including logic, mathematics, and astronomy.
During the Ottoman Empire, the name Emad remained popular among the ruling class and scholars. One notable figure was Emad al-Din al-Isfahani (1506-1588 CE), a renowned Sufi scholar and poet who was highly respected for his spiritual teachings.
Throughout history, the name Emad has been carried by numerous individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, poets, statesmen, and military leaders. While the name has maintained its historical roots in the Arabic language and culture, it has also gained popularity in other parts of the world, particularly among Muslim communities.
People
Emad + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Emad as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Emad: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Emad?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 788 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Emad 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 434,967 US residents.
Is Emad a common name?
We classify Emad as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 805 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Emad most popular?
The single biggest year for Emad was 2023, when 36 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Emad is about 22 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Emad a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Emad 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.