Faysal
An Arabic masculine name meaning "the one who distinguishes truth from falsehood".
Name Census estimates that about 203 living Americans carry the first name Faysal. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Faysal today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Faysal births was 2009 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Faysal. 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
203
~ 1 in 1,688,445 Americans
Peak year
2009
16 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2023 SSA rank
#11,264
Tracked since 1993
Popularity
Faysal: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Faysal from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 101 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Faysal 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 Faysal 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 Faysal
The name Faysal has its origins in the Arabic language and culture, tracing back to the 7th century CE. It is derived from the Arabic root word "fa-sa-la," which means to separate or distinguish. The name is believed to have been initially used to refer to someone who stands out or is distinguished from others.
In Arabic, the name Faysal is spelled as فيصل, and it has been a popular name among Arab families for centuries. The earliest recorded use of the name can be found in ancient Arabic texts and historical documents from the medieval period.
One of the most notable historical figures to bear the name Faysal was Faysal I, the former King of Syria and later the King of Iraq. He was born in 1885 and died in 1933. Faysal I played a pivotal role in the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire during World War I and was instrumental in the establishment of modern-day Syria and Iraq.
Another famous Faysal in history was Faysal II, the last King of Iraq, who reigned from 1939 until his untimely death in 1958 at the age of 23. He was overthrown and executed during the 14 July Revolution in Iraq.
In the field of literature, Faysal Khartash was a renowned Syrian poet who lived from 1923 to 1986. His works explored themes of love, nationalism, and the human condition, earning him widespread recognition in the Arab world.
Faysal al-Qassem, born in 1957, is a prominent Syrian journalist and TV host known for his outspoken views on political and social issues in the Middle East. He has hosted several popular talk shows and has been recognized for his contributions to journalism.
Faysal El-Khalil, born in 1965, is a Palestinian-American businessman and entrepreneur. He co-founded and served as the CEO of Compass, a real estate technology company, which achieved a multi-billion dollar valuation.
While these are just a few examples, the name Faysal has been borne by many notable individuals throughout history, reflecting its deep roots in Arabic culture and its significance as a name that denotes distinction and standing out from the crowd.
People
Faysal + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Faysal 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
Faysal: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Faysal?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 203 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Faysal 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 1,688,445 US residents.
Is Faysal a common name?
We classify Faysal as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 205 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Faysal most popular?
The single biggest year for Faysal was 2009, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Faysal is about 18 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Faysal a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Faysal 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.