Faris
A masculine Arabic name meaning "knight" or "mounted warrior."
Name Census estimates that about 2,868 living Americans carry the first name Faris. It is a predominantly male name (99.4% of registrations). The average person named Faris today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Faris births was 2017 (133 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Faris. 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.
Key insights
- • Faris is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 18 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
2.9K
~ 1 in 119,510 Americans
Peak year
2017
133 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,443
Tracked since 1915
Gender
Gender distribution for Faris
Out of the 3,094 babies given the name Faris since 1880, 99.4% were registered as male. The name sits firmly on the male side of the spectrum, with only a handful of female registrations across the entire dataset.
Faris as a male name
- Ranked #1,443 in 2024
- 125 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2017 (133 births)
Faris as a female name
- Ranked #18,533 in 2007
- 5 female births in 2007
- Peak: 1920 (5 births)
Popularity
Faris: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Faris from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 1,095 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Faris remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Faris 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 Faris during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Faris' live
The SSA's state-level files cover 17 states and territories. California, Texas, New York recorded the most babies named Faris, while Minnesota, Indiana, Arizona recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 88 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Faris
The name Faris originates from the Arabic language and has its roots in ancient Arabian culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "faras," which means "knight" or "horseman." The name Faris is believed to have emerged during the early Islamic era, when skilled horsemen played a significant role in battles and the spread of the Islamic faith.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Faris can be found in the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam. It is mentioned in reference to skilled riders and warriors. This association with bravery and chivalry has contributed to the name's enduring popularity in the Arabic-speaking world.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Faris. One of the most famous was Faris al-Khayr (1023-1087), a renowned Arab mathematician and astronomer from Persia. His contributions to the fields of algebra and trigonometry were groundbreaking, and he is credited with introducing the concept of sine and cosine functions.
Another prominent individual with the name Faris was Faris ibn Yahya (1240-1265), a Mamluk sultan who ruled over Egypt and Syria during the 13th century. He was known for his military prowess and for leading successful campaigns against the Crusaders and the Mongols.
In the 14th century, Faris al-Din Aktai (1345-1389) was a powerful military commander in the service of the Mamluk Sultanate. He played a crucial role in defending Cairo against the Mongol invasion and is remembered for his strategic leadership and tactical skills.
Moving forward in time, Faris al-Khoury (1877-1962) was a prominent Lebanese politician and statesman who served as the first prime minister of Lebanon after the country gained independence from France in 1943.
More recently, Faris Al-Rashid (1933-2017) was a renowned Iraqi poet and writer, known for his contributions to modern Arabic literature. His works explored themes of love, identity, and the human condition, earning him widespread acclaim in the Arab world.
While the name Faris has its roots in the Arabic language and culture, it has gained popularity in various parts of the world, particularly among Muslim communities. The name's association with bravery, honor, and skill in horsemanship has contributed to its enduring appeal across generations.
People
Faris + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Faris 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
Faris: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Faris?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,868 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Faris 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 119,510 US residents.
Is Faris a common name?
We classify Faris as "Rare". It ranks above 95% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 3,094 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Faris most popular?
The single biggest year for Faris was 2017, when 133 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Faris is about 18 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Faris a male name?
Yes, 99.4% of people registered as Faris 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.