Faraz
A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "horseman" or "knight".
Name Census estimates that about 641 living Americans carry the first name Faraz. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Faraz today is around 26 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Faraz births was 1998 (25 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Faraz. 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
641
~ 1 in 534,718 Americans
Peak year
1998
25 babies that year
Average age
26
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,239
Tracked since 1977
Popularity
Faraz: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Faraz from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 191 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Faraz 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 Faraz during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Faraz' live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. New York, California, Texas recorded the most babies named Faraz, while Texas, California, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 37 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Faraz
The name Faraz has its roots in the Persian language and culture, originating from the Middle Persian word "frāz," which means "high" or "elevated." This name gained popularity during the ancient Persian era and was often associated with individuals of higher social status or those with noble lineage.
One of the earliest known references to the name Faraz can be found in the ancient Persian epic, the Shahnameh, written by the renowned poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th and early 11th centuries. In this literary masterpiece, the name Faraz is mentioned as a character who played a significant role in the narrative.
During the medieval period, the name Faraz was particularly prevalent among the ruling classes and aristocracy of the Persian Empire. Several historical records from this time period mention individuals bearing this name, including Faraz ibn Abi'l-Faraj, a renowned Persian scholar and poet who lived in the 10th century.
As the Persian culture spread across various regions, the name Faraz also gained popularity in other parts of the Middle East and Central Asia. One notable figure was Faraz Khan, a military commander and ruler of the Mughal Empire in the 17th century, who played a crucial role in the expansion of the empire's territories.
Throughout history, several other notable individuals have carried the name Faraz, including:
1. Faraz Ahmad Khan (1548-1624), a Mughal nobleman and military commander during the reign of Akbar the Great.
2. Faraz Ali Khan (1760-1828), a Persian poet and calligrapher known for his contributions to the literary and artistic spheres.
3. Faraz Rabbani (1918-1992), a Pakistani diplomat and ambassador who served in various countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom.
4. Faraz Anwar (born 1977), a Pakistani singer and songwriter known for his contributions to the Sufi rock genre.
5. Faraz Javed (born 1984), a Pakistani cricketer who played for the national team and various domestic teams.
The name Faraz has maintained its significance and popularity across various regions and cultures influenced by Persian heritage, carrying with it a sense of nobility and aspiration for greatness.
People
Faraz + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Faraz 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
Faraz: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Faraz?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 641 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Faraz 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 534,718 US residents.
Is Faraz a common name?
We classify Faraz as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 655 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Faraz most popular?
The single biggest year for Faraz was 1998, when 25 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Faraz is about 26 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Faraz a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Faraz 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.