Kareem first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Kareem has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Kareem

An Arabic name meaning "generous, noble, honorable".

Popularity of Kareem by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Kareem is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 99% of people named Kareem being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 441 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Kareem.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 441 0
2022 404 0
2021 381 0
2020 418 0
2019 385 0
2018 346 0
2017 352 0
2016 345 0
2015 334 0
2014 315 0
2013 352 5
2012 311 0
2011 306 0
2010 334 0
2009 314 0
2008 309 0
2007 314 0
2006 303 0
2005 294 0
2004 345 0
2003 299 0
2002 316 0
2001 324 0
2000 303 5
1999 300 0
1998 313 0
1997 295 0
1996 301 0
1995 293 0
1994 357 6
1993 317 0
1992 348 5
1991 334 0
1990 312 5
1989 298 0
1988 289 0
1987 292 7
1986 254 0
1985 279 5
1984 246 6
1983 313 7
1982 319 0
1981 317 7
1980 459 21
1979 358 14
1978 361 15
1977 449 12
1976 380 14
1975 417 16
1974 325 13

The history of the first name Kareem

Kareem is a male given name of Arabic origin, derived from the root word "karīm" which means "noble" or "generous." The name traces its roots back to the Arabian Peninsula and has been in use among Arab communities for centuries.

The earliest record of the name Kareem appears in Islamic literature, particularly the Quran, where it is mentioned as one of the attributes of God. In Arabic calligraphy and poetry, the word "kareem" is often used to describe someone of high moral character and virtue.

One of the earliest known individuals to bear the name Kareem was Kareem ibn Abi Qarrah, a 7th-century Arab poet and warrior from the Banu Kilab tribe. His poems and exploits were widely celebrated during his lifetime and have been preserved in various anthologies of Arabic literature.

Another notable figure in history with the name Kareem was Al-Kareem al-Ustadh, a renowned 10th-century calligrapher and scholar from Baghdad. His works are considered masterpieces of Arabic calligraphy and are housed in various museums and collections around the world.

In the 12th century, Kareem al-Din al-Harawi was a prominent Persian poet and mystic who made significant contributions to the development of Sufi literature. His poetic works, such as the "Anwar-i Suhaily," are still widely studied and appreciated in Persian-speaking regions.

During the Ottoman Empire, Kareem Pasha was a prominent military leader and statesman who served as the Grand Vizier (prime minister) from 1833 to 1839. He played a crucial role in implementing various reforms and modernizing the Ottoman military and administrative systems.

In more recent times, one of the most famous individuals with the name Kareem was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the legendary American basketball player. Born in 1947, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA and held the record for the most career points scored until 2022.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Kareem was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Kareem, please contact us.

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"Kareem first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/kareem-meaning-and-history/.

"Kareem first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/kareem-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Kareem first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/kareem-meaning-and-history/.

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