Maham
Of Pakistani origin meaning "great" or "glorious".
Name Census estimates that about 317 living Americans carry the first name Maham. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Maham today is around 19 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Maham births was 2001 (22 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Maham. 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
317
~ 1 in 1,081,244 Americans
Peak year
2001
22 babies that year
Average age
19
years old
2024 SSA rank
#11,708
Tracked since 1990
Popularity
Maham: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Maham from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 124 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Maham remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Maham 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 Maham during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Mahams live
Origin
Meaning and history of Maham
The name Maham is of Persian origin and has its roots in the ancient Iranian language of Pahlavi. It is believed to have been derived from the word "mah," which means "moon" or "celestial body." The name has been in use since ancient times and has been associated with beauty, grace, and elegance.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Maham can be found in the famous Persian epic, the Shahnameh, written by the renowned poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th century. In this epic, Maham is mentioned as the name of a beautiful and virtuous woman.
During the medieval period, the name Maham gained popularity among the Persian aristocracy and was often given to daughters of noble families. One notable historical figure with this name was Maham Anaga, who lived in the 16th century and was the chief wife of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. She played a significant role in the politics of the Mughal Empire and was known for her influence over Akbar's decisions.
In the 17th century, Maham Begum, the daughter of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, was another prominent figure who bore this name. She was known for her charitable work and her support for the arts and literature.
Moving forward to the 18th century, Maham Arus, a renowned Persian poet, gained recognition for her beautiful and profound poetry. Her works were widely appreciated and celebrated in the literary circles of her time.
In the 19th century, Maham Khan was a prominent military commander who served in the army of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the ruler of the Sikh Empire in Punjab. He was known for his bravery and strategic skills on the battlefield.
Throughout history, the name Maham has been associated with grace, beauty, and nobility, and it continues to be a popular choice for parents in various parts of the world, particularly in regions with Persian cultural influence.
People
Maham + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Maham as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Maham: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Maham?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 317 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Maham 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 1,081,244 US residents.
Is Maham a common name?
We classify Maham as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 322 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Maham most popular?
The single biggest year for Maham was 2001, when 22 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Maham is about 19 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Maham a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Maham 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.