Hamse
An old spelling variation of the Arabic name Hamza, meaning "strong" or "lion-like".
Name Census estimates that about 67 living Americans carry the first name Hamse. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Hamse today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hamse births was 2013 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hamse. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Hamse with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Hamse. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
67
~ 1 in 5,115,736 Americans
Peak year
2013
9 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2024 SSA rank
#12,918
Tracked since 2007
Popularity
Hamse: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Hamse from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 38 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Hamse remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Hamse 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 Hamse during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Hamses live
Origin
Meaning and history of Hamse
The name Hamse is believed to have originated from the Arabic language, with its roots tracing back to the Middle East region during the medieval period. The name is thought to be a variation or derivative of the Arabic name Hamsah, which itself is derived from the word "hamsa," referring to the widely recognized symbol and talisman depicting a hand.
In Islamic culture and history, the hamsa symbol is considered a protective sign, often used to ward off evil or negative energies. The name Hamse, therefore, may have been bestowed upon individuals as a way to invoke blessings and protection upon them. Alternatively, some sources suggest that the name could be linked to the Arabic term "hams," which means "five," potentially referencing the five fingers of the hand depicted in the hamsa symbol.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hamse can be found in the writings of the renowned 10th-century Persian poet and scholar, Ferdowsi. In his epic masterpiece, the Shahnameh, Ferdowsi mentions a character named Hamse, though little is known about the significance of this particular individual.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Hamse. One such figure was Hamse al-Baghdadi, a 13th-century Islamic scholar and mathematician from Baghdad. He is known for his contributions to the field of algebra and his work on solving complex equations.
Another historical figure with the name Hamse was Hamse ibn Rashid al-Zubairi, a 15th-century Arab historian and writer from Yemen. He authored several books on the history and culture of his region, providing valuable insights into the customs and traditions of that era.
In the 17th century, Hamse Haj Ali was a prominent Ottoman architect and engineer, responsible for the construction of several significant buildings and mosques in Istanbul, including the Yeni Mosque and the Kara Ahmed Pasha Mosque.
Moving forward in time, Hamse Bey was a 19th-century Ottoman statesman and diplomat who served as the Governor of Tripoli (present-day Libya) and played a crucial role in the region's political affairs during his tenure.
Lastly, Hamse Adnan was a 20th-century Syrian painter and artist, renowned for his vibrant and expressive depictions of Middle Eastern landscapes and daily life. His works have been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums across the Arab world.
People
Hamse + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hamse 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
Hamse: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hamse?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 67 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hamse 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 5,115,736 US residents.
Is Hamse a common name?
We classify Hamse as "Very Rare". It ranks above 58.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 68 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hamse most popular?
The single biggest year for Hamse was 2013, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hamse is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Hamse in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Hamse a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hamse 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.
Is Hamse still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Hamse in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Hamse can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Hamse?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.