Hud
An Arabic masculine name indicating resolution or determination.
Name Census estimates that about 69 living Americans carry the first name Hud. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Hud today is around 32 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hud births was 1964 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hud. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Hud. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
69
~ 1 in 4,967,454 Americans
Peak year
1964
9 babies that year
Average age
32
years old
2024 SSA rank
#11,406
Tracked since 1964
Popularity
Hud: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Hud from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 29 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
Hud 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 Hud 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 Hud
The name Hud has its roots in the Arabic language and culture, with its origins dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Arabic word "huda," which means guidance or righteousness. The name is closely associated with the Islamic prophet Hud, who is mentioned in the Quran as a messenger sent to the ancient Arab tribe of 'Ad.
In the Quran, Hud is described as a prophet who preached monotheism and warned his people against idolatry and moral corruption. He is revered in Islamic tradition as a righteous and courageous figure who stood up for divine principles and urged his people to repent and seek forgiveness.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hud can be found in the Quran itself, where the prophet is referred to by this name. This lends the name a significant historical and religious significance within the Islamic faith.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Hud. One of the earliest recorded was Hud ibn Munabbih, a prominent Arab scholar and scholar of Hadith (sayings of Prophet Muhammad) who lived in the 7th century CE. He is known for his work in compiling and interpreting Islamic traditions and teachings.
Another notable figure was Hud al-Din al-Kirmani, a 12th-century Persian philosopher and mystic. He was a prominent figure in the Sufi tradition and is remembered for his contributions to Islamic philosophy and spirituality.
In the 13th century, Hud ibn Yahya al-Mu'tazili was a renowned Arab philosopher and theologian. He was a prominent figure in the Mu'tazilite school of Islamic theology, known for their emphasis on rationalism and free will.
Moving forward in time, Hud ibn Muhammad al-Salimi was a 16th-century Omani scholar and poet. He was highly respected for his knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence and his contribution to Arabic literature.
More recently, Hud Shudari was a 20th-century Sudanese poet and writer. Born in 1913, he was a prominent figure in the literary and cultural renaissance of Sudan, and his works explored themes of identity, nationalism, and social issues.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have carried the name Hud, highlighting its deep roots in Islamic culture and its association with scholarship, philosophy, and religious tradition.
People
Hud + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hud 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
Hud: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hud?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 69 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hud 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 4,967,454 US residents.
Is Hud a common name?
We classify Hud as "Very Rare". It ranks above 59.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 74 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hud most popular?
The single biggest year for Hud was 1964, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hud is about 32 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Hud a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hud 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.