Faiq
An Arabic masculine given name meaning "surpassing" or "superior".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Faiq. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Faiq today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Faiq births was 2016 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Faiq. 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 Faiq with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Faiq. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2016
5 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2016 SSA rank
#12,821
Tracked since 2016
Popularity
Faiq: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Faiq 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 Faiq during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Faiq
The name Faiq has its origins in the Arabic language and culture, with roots tracing back to the medieval Islamic era. It is derived from the Arabic word "faqih," which means "jurist" or "expert in Islamic law." In its earliest forms, the name was likely bestowed upon individuals who were scholars or students of Islamic jurisprudence.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Faiq can be found in the writings of renowned Islamic scholars from the 9th and 10th centuries CE. These scholars often referenced individuals with this name, indicating its widespread use among the intellectual and religious elite of the time.
Throughout the centuries, the name Faiq has been associated with several notable figures in the Islamic world. One such individual was Faiq al-Naysaburi, a 10th-century Persian scholar and Qur'anic exegete who made significant contributions to the field of Qur'anic studies.
Another prominent figure bearing the name Faiq was Faiq al-Miknasi, a 17th-century Moroccan scholar and Sufi mystic. He was known for his extensive knowledge of Islamic theology and his influential writings on Sufism.
In the 19th century, Faiq Effendi was a prominent Ottoman diplomat and statesman who played a crucial role in the modernization efforts of the Ottoman Empire. He served as the Ottoman ambassador to several European capitals and was instrumental in negotiating treaties and establishing diplomatic ties.
Moving into the 20th century, Faiq Ahmad Beg was a renowned Pakistani linguist and lexicographer. Born in 1892, he dedicated his life to the study and preservation of the Urdu language, authoring numerous dictionaries and literary works that are still widely referenced today.
Finally, Faiq Bilal was an Iraqi artist and calligrapher who lived from 1966 to 2008. He gained international recognition for his innovative approach to combining traditional Arabic calligraphy with modern abstract art, creating a unique and influential style that inspired generations of artists.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals who have carried the name Faiq throughout history, each leaving their mark in their respective fields and contributing to the rich cultural tapestry of the Islamic world and beyond.
People
Faiq + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Faiq as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with F
Other first names starting with F with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Faiq: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Faiq?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Faiq 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Faiq a common name?
We classify Faiq as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Faiq most popular?
The single biggest year for Faiq was 2016, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Faiq is about 10 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 Faiq in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Faiq a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Faiq 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 Faiq still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Faiq 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 Faiq 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 Faiq?
You can see how many people have the name Faiq on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.