Haider
A masculine Arabic name meaning "lion" or "brave one".
Name Census estimates that about 995 living Americans carry the first name Haider. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Haider today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Haider births was 2024 (69 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Haider. 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
995
~ 1 in 344,477 Americans
Peak year
2024
69 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,137
Tracked since 1985
Popularity
Haider: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Haider from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 386 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Haider remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Haider 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 Haider during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Haiders live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. New York, Texas, California recorded the most babies named Haider, while Virginia, Ohio, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 43 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Haider
The name Haider has its origins in the Arabic language and can be traced back to the 7th century CE. It is derived from the Arabic word "haidara," which means "lion" or "brave." The name is often associated with strength, courage, and bravery.
In Islamic history, one of the most notable figures bearing the name Haider was Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad. He was given the honorific title "Haider" by the Prophet himself, acknowledging his bravery and valor in battles. Hazrat Ali is revered as the first Imam in Shia Islam and is regarded as a significant figure in Islamic theology and history.
The earliest recorded use of the name Haider can be found in various Islamic texts and historical records from the 7th century CE, particularly in the Arab regions. It gained popularity across various Muslim communities and spread to other parts of the world through cultural and religious influences.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Haider. One of the earliest recorded figures was Haider Ali, an 18th-century ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India, who lived from 1722 to 1782. He was known for his military prowess and resistance against British colonial rule.
Another prominent figure was Haider Raza, an influential Indian modern artist, who lived from 1922 to 2016. He was a key pioneer of the Indian avant-garde movement and is celebrated for his unique style and contribution to contemporary Indian art.
In literature, Haider is also the name of the protagonist in the famous Urdu play "Haider" by Agha Hashr Kashmiri, which is an adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet." The play, written in the 18th century, is a significant work in Urdu literature and explores themes of revenge, justice, and moral dilemmas.
Other notable individuals who have borne the name Haider include Haider Javed Husain, an Iraqi actor and film director born in 1942, and Haider Ackermann, a Colombian-born French fashion designer known for his innovative and avant-garde designs, who was born in 1971.
The name Haider has maintained its significance and popularity across various cultures and regions, particularly in the Arab world and among Muslim communities, where it continues to be associated with strength, bravery, and courage.
People
Haider + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Haider as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Haider: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Haider?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 995 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Haider 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 344,477 US residents.
Is Haider a common name?
We classify Haider as "Very Rare". It ranks above 90.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,005 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Haider most popular?
The single biggest year for Haider was 2024, when 69 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Haider is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Haider a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Haider 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.