Farouk
Originally from the Arabic word meaning "he who distinguishes between truth and falsehood".
Name Census estimates that about 267 living Americans carry the first name Farouk. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Farouk today is around 17 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Farouk births was 2015 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Farouk. 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
267
~ 1 in 1,283,724 Americans
Peak year
2015
14 babies that year
Average age
17
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,908
Tracked since 1979
Popularity
Farouk: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Farouk 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 108 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Farouk remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Farouk 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 Farouk during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Farouk
The name Farouk has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "fariq," which means "one who distinguishes between right and wrong" or "one who distinguishes truth from falsehood."
The name Farouk gained prominence during the medieval Islamic era, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa. It was often bestowed upon individuals who were known for their wisdom, justice, and ability to discern truth from falsehood.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Farouk can be found in the Quran, the holy book of Islam. In the Quran, the word "fariq" is used several times, emphasizing the importance of distinguishing between right and wrong, truth and falsehood.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Farouk. One of the most famous was Farouk I, the former King of Egypt and Sudan, who reigned from 1936 to 1952. He was born in 1920 and abdicated in 1952 after a series of political upheavals in Egypt.
Another prominent figure was Farouk El-Baz, an Egyptian-American scientist and geologist. He was born in 1938 and is renowned for his work in the field of planetary geology, particularly his contributions to the Apollo space program and the exploration of the Moon.
In the realm of literature, Farouk Shousha was an Egyptian poet and writer who lived from 1936 to 2016. He was known for his powerful and evocative poetry, which often explored themes of identity, culture, and social justice.
Farouk Hosny, born in 1938, was an Egyptian actor and comedian who gained immense popularity for his roles in numerous Egyptian films and television shows. He was widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the Egyptian entertainment industry.
Farouk Mitha, born in 1958, is a Canadian businessman and philanthropist of Indian descent. He is the founder and CEO of Navigata Communications, a successful telecommunications company, and is known for his philanthropic efforts in supporting education and healthcare initiatives.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the name Farouk throughout history, each leaving their mark in their respective fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of cultural and intellectual heritage.
People
Farouk + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Farouk 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
Farouk: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Farouk?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 267 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Farouk 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 1,283,724 US residents.
Is Farouk a common name?
We classify Farouk as "Very Rare". It ranks above 77.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 271 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Farouk most popular?
The single biggest year for Farouk was 2015, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Farouk is about 17 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Farouk a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Farouk 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.