Hayat
An Arabic feminine name meaning "life" or "existence".
Name Census estimates that about 780 living Americans carry the first name Hayat. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Hayat today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hayat births was 2023 (57 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hayat. 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
780
~ 1 in 439,429 Americans
Peak year
2023
57 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,183
Tracked since 1980
Popularity
Hayat: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Hayat 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 281 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Hayat 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 Hayat during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Hayats live
The SSA's state-level files cover 6 states and territories. Minnesota, California, New York recorded the most babies named Hayat, while Texas, Michigan, Florida recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 20 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Hayat
The name Hayat is of Arabic origin, derived from the word "hayat," which means "life" in Arabic. This name has been in use since ancient times, reflecting the importance of life and vitality in Arabic culture and Islamic tradition.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hayat can be found in the Quran, the holy book of Islam. In the Quran, the word "hayat" is used to refer to the concept of life and its significance in the spiritual realm.
Throughout history, the name Hayat has been borne by several notable figures. One prominent example is Hayat ibn Khalil al-Tabari, a renowned Persian physician and philosopher who lived in the 9th century. He made significant contributions to the field of medicine and wrote extensively on various subjects, including philosophy and astronomy.
Another historical figure with the name Hayat was Hayat al-Nufus, a 13th-century Persian mystic and poet. Her poetry was deeply influenced by Sufism, and she is considered one of the most prominent female figures in the literary tradition of Iran.
In the 16th century, Hayat Bakhsh Khan was a prominent military commander and governor during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. He played a crucial role in the expansion and consolidation of the Mughal Empire in India.
Moving forward in time, Hayat Muhammad Khan Sherpao was a prominent Pakistani politician and statesman who served as the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province from 1997 to 1999. He was also the Governor of the North-West Frontier Province (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) from 2008 to 2013.
More recently, Hayat Sindi is a Saudi Arabian scientist and philanthropist known for her groundbreaking work in biotechnology and her efforts to promote science education, particularly among women in the Middle East. She has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to science and education.
The name Hayat has transcended its Arabic roots and has been adopted by various cultures around the world, reflecting the universal appeal of the concept of life and vitality. Its rich history and cultural significance make it a name that continues to be cherished by many.
People
Hayat + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hayat 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
Hayat: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hayat?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 780 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hayat 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 439,429 US residents.
Is Hayat a common name?
We classify Hayat as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 790 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hayat most popular?
The single biggest year for Hayat was 2023, when 57 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hayat is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Hayat a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hayat in the SSA data are female. 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.