Khizr
An Arabic name associated with the revered prophet, Al-Khidr.
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Khizr. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Khizr today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Khizr births was 2020 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Khizr. 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 Khizr with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Khizr. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
2020
5 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2021 SSA rank
#13,187
Tracked since 2020
Popularity
Khizr: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Khizr 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 Khizr during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 10 | 0 | 10 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Khizr
The name Khizr has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "khidr," which means "green" or "verdant." The name is believed to be associated with the figure of al-Khidr, a revered figure in Islamic tradition who is often portrayed as a wise and immortal guide.
The earliest recorded use of the name Khizr can be traced back to the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, where it is mentioned in connection with the story of Moses and his encounter with al-Khidr. This encounter is described in Surah Al-Kahf (Chapter 18), where al-Khidr is portrayed as a mysterious figure who possesses profound knowledge and wisdom.
In Islamic tradition, al-Khidr is often associated with the concept of spiritual guidance and enlightenment. He is revered as a teacher and a source of divine knowledge, and his presence is believed to bring blessings and prosperity. The name Khizr is therefore seen as a symbol of wisdom, growth, and divine favor.
Throughout history, the name Khizr has been borne by several notable individuals. One of the earliest recorded figures with this name is Khizr Khan, who was a powerful ruler of the Mughal Empire in India during the 16th century (1511-1627). Another prominent figure is Khizr Khwaja, a Sufi mystic and philosopher who lived in Central Asia during the 12th century.
In more recent times, the name Khizr has been carried by individuals such as Khizr Khan (born 1976), a Pakistani-American lawyer and former adviser to the U.S. Department of Defense, and Khizr Hayat (born 1966), a Pakistani cricketer who played for the national team in the 1990s.
Other notable individuals with the name Khizr include Khizr Muazzam Shah (1663-1675), a Mughal prince and the eldest son of Emperor Aurangzeb, and Khizr Hayat Khan Tiwana (1835-1886), a prominent landowner and politician in British India.
The name Khizr continues to be popular among Muslim communities around the world, particularly in regions with strong Arabic and Islamic cultural influences. Its rich historical and religious significance make it a highly revered and respected name.
People
Khizr + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Khizr as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Khizr: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Khizr?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Khizr 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Khizr a common name?
We classify Khizr as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Khizr most popular?
The single biggest year for Khizr was 2020, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Khizr is about 6 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 Khizr in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Khizr a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Khizr 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 Khizr still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Khizr 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 Khizr 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 Americans are named Khizr?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.