Haval
A masculine Kurdish name meaning "powerful" or "brave".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Haval. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Haval today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Haval births was 2016 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Haval. 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 Haval with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Haval. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2016
5 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2016 SSA rank
#12,911
Tracked since 2016
Popularity
Haval: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Haval 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 Haval during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Haval
The given name Haval has its origins in the Kurdish language, spoken primarily in parts of the Middle East including Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria. The name is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, potentially derived from the ancient Persian word "haval" which means "friend" or "companion."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Haval can be found in the Epic of Gilgamesh, an ancient Mesopotamian poem dating back to around 2100 BC. In this epic, Haval is mentioned as a heroic figure who accompanies the protagonist Gilgamesh on his adventures. This reference suggests that the name has been in use for thousands of years.
In the 11th century, a Kurdish scholar and poet named Haval al-Halabi (born around 1050 AD in Aleppo, Syria) gained significant recognition for his contributions to Arabic literature. His poetry and writings played a crucial role in preserving Kurdish culture and language during that era.
Another notable figure with the name Haval was Haval Mihemed (1661-1733), a prominent Kurdish poet and philosopher from the Baban principality in present-day Iraq. His works, written in the Kurmanji dialect of Kurdish, explored themes of love, nature, and spirituality, and are considered important literary treasures in Kurdish heritage.
In more recent history, Haval Himat (1932-1986) was a renowned Kurdish writer, journalist, and political activist from Iraq. He played a significant role in promoting Kurdish rights and advocating for the preservation of Kurdish language and culture. His writings and activism made him a revered figure among the Kurdish people.
Haval Abubakir (1939-2004), a Kurdish painter and artist from Iran, was widely recognized for his contributions to contemporary Kurdish art. His paintings often depicted Kurdish cultural themes and landscapes, and his works have been exhibited in galleries around the world, celebrating the rich artistic traditions of the Kurdish people.
The name Haval continues to be widely used among Kurdish communities, carrying a rich historical and cultural significance. While its exact etymology may be debated, the name's longevity and presence in various literary and historical works attest to its deep-rooted connection with the Kurdish heritage.
People
Haval + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Haval 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
Haval: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Haval?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Haval 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Haval a common name?
We classify Haval as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Haval most popular?
The single biggest year for Haval was 2016, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Haval is about 10 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 Haval in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Haval a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Haval 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 Haval still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Haval 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 Haval 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 named Haval?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.