Makhari
A Hindi name meaning "supreme" or "excellent".
Name Census estimates that about 285 living Americans carry the first name Makhari. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 86.1% of registrations being male. The average person named Makhari today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Makhari births was 2024 (40 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Makhari. 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
285
~ 1 in 1,202,647 Americans
Peak year
2024
40 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,070
Tracked since 2006
Gender
Gender distribution for Makhari
Makhari leans heavily male at 86.1% of total registrations, but 40 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Makhari as a male name
- Ranked #3,070 in 2024
- 40 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (40 births)
Makhari as a female name
- Ranked #16,693 in 2023
- 5 female births in 2023
- Peak: 2011 (7 births)
Popularity
Makhari: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Makhari from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 157 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
Makhari 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 Makhari during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Makharis live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. Texas, Florida, Georgia recorded the most babies named Makhari, while Michigan, Georgia, Florida recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 6 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Makhari
The name Makhari has its origins in the Swahili language, spoken predominantly in East Africa. It is believed to have originated in the region around the 15th century, during the height of the Swahili civilization. The name is derived from the root word "kheri," which translates to "goodness" or "blessing."
In ancient Swahili culture, names were often chosen to reflect the hopes and aspirations parents had for their children. Makhari was likely given to infants as a way of bestowing blessings and well-wishes upon them, symbolizing the desire for a life filled with goodness and prosperity.
While there are no known records of the name appearing in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been documented in historical accounts of the Swahili people and their trade networks along the East African coast.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Makhari dates back to the 17th century, when it was mentioned in a Portuguese chronicle documenting the travels of a Swahili merchant by that name. This merchant was known for his successful trade ventures and his reputation for honest dealings, reflecting the positive connotations associated with the name.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Makhari. In the 19th century, Makhari bin Juma was a prominent leader and advisor to the Sultan of Zanzibar, renowned for his wisdom and diplomatic skills (born circa 1810, died 1878).
Another significant figure was Makhari al-Busiri, a renowned Swahili poet and scholar who lived in the 13th century. His works, which celebrated the virtues of the Prophet Muhammad, were widely acclaimed and studied throughout the Islamic world.
In the realm of sports, Makhari Pinda (born 1972) was a Tanzanian long-distance runner who represented his country in multiple Olympic Games, winning a bronze medal in the marathon at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Additionally, Makhari Juma (born 1945) was a Kenyan politician and activist who played a pivotal role in the country's struggle for independence and later served as a member of parliament.
Finally, Makhari Saidali (born 1930, died 2005) was a celebrated Swahili writer and playwright from Zanzibar, whose works explored themes of cultural identity and the impact of colonialism on traditional societies.
People
Makhari + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Makhari 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
Makhari: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Makhari?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 285 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Makhari 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 1,202,647 US residents.
Is Makhari a common name?
We classify Makhari as "Very Rare". It ranks above 78.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 287 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Makhari most popular?
The single biggest year for Makhari was 2024, when 40 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Makhari is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Makhari a male name?
Yes, 86.1% of people registered as Makhari 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.