Fariha
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "joyful" or "happy one".
Name Census estimates that about 504 living Americans carry the first name Fariha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Fariha today is around 20 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Fariha births was 1998 (25 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Fariha. 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
504
~ 1 in 680,068 Americans
Peak year
1998
25 babies that year
Average age
20
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,709
Tracked since 1983
Popularity
Fariha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Fariha from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 151 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Fariha remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Fariha 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 Fariha during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Farihas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. New York, Texas, California recorded the most babies named Fariha, while California, Texas, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 45 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Fariha
The name Fariha is of Arabic origin and is derived from the Arabic root word "faraha," which means "joy" or "happiness." It is a feminine name that has been in use for centuries across various regions of the Middle East and North Africa.
In Arabic culture, the name Fariha is often associated with the concepts of joy, delight, and contentment. It is believed to have been inspired by the Quranic teachings that encourage Muslims to seek happiness and contentment in their lives through faith and good deeds.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Fariha can be traced back to the medieval period in various historical texts and records from the Islamic world. One notable example is Fariha bint Al-Jahiz, a renowned 9th-century scholar and writer from Basra, Iraq, who was known for her intellectual contributions and literary works.
Throughout history, several influential and notable individuals have borne the name Fariha. One of the most prominent figures was Fariha Al-Nabulsi, a 17th-century Syrian poet and scholar who gained recognition for her exceptional literary skills and contributions to Arabic literature. She was born in Damascus in 1640 and is remembered for her poetic works that explored themes of love, spirituality, and social commentary.
Another notable Fariha was Fariha Zarnegar, an Iranian painter and artist who lived in the 20th century. Born in 1923 in Tehran, she was celebrated for her vibrant and expressive paintings that captured the essence of Iranian culture and traditions. Her works are considered significant contributions to the modern art movement in Iran.
In the realm of politics and activism, Fariha Naqvi-Mohamed, a South African human rights activist and lawyer, made a lasting impact. Born in 1964, she dedicated her life to advocating for the rights of marginalized communities and played a crucial role in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.
Fariha Khaled, a contemporary Emirati author and journalist, has also gained recognition for her literary works exploring themes of identity, culture, and women's rights in the Arab world. Born in 1975 in Dubai, she has published several acclaimed novels and essays that have garnered critical acclaim.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Fariha, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of human experience and achievement.
People
Fariha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Fariha 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
Fariha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Fariha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 504 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Fariha 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 680,068 US residents.
Is Fariha a common name?
We classify Fariha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 513 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Fariha most popular?
The single biggest year for Fariha was 1998, when 25 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Fariha is about 20 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Fariha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Fariha in the SSA data are female. 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.