Manar
A feminine Arabic name meaning "radiance" or "lighthouse".
Name Census estimates that about 714 living Americans carry the first name Manar. It is a predominantly female name (99.3% of registrations). The average person named Manar today is around 20 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Manar births was 2002 (47 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Manar. 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
714
~ 1 in 480,048 Americans
Peak year
2002
47 babies that year
Average age
20
years old
1996 SSA rank
#7,430
Tracked since 1983
Gender
Gender distribution for Manar
Out of the 727 babies given the name Manar since 1880, 99.3% were registered as female. The name sits firmly on the female side of the spectrum, with only a handful of male registrations across the entire dataset.
Manar as a male name
- Ranked #9,959 in 1996
- 5 male births in 1996
- Peak: 1996 (5 births)
Manar as a female name
- Ranked #7,430 in 2024
- 15 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2002 (47 births)
Popularity
Manar: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Manar from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 261 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Manar 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 Manar during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Manars live
The SSA's state-level files cover 6 states and territories. Michigan, New York, California recorded the most babies named Manar, while Texas, Tennessee, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 24 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Manar
The name Manar has its origins in the Arabic language and culture, and it can be traced back to the medieval period in the Middle East region. The name is derived from the Arabic word "manara," which means "lighthouse" or "beacon." It is a metaphorical representation of guidance and illumination.
One of the earliest recorded usages of the name Manar can be found in the writings of renowned Arab poets from the 9th and 10th centuries. These poets often used the name as a metaphor to describe the beauty and radiance of their muses or beloved ones, likening them to a guiding light or a beacon in the darkness.
While the name Manar does not have any direct references in religious scriptures, it has been widely used in the Islamic world due to its positive connotations of enlightenment and guidance. Some historical records suggest that the name gained popularity during the golden age of the Islamic civilization, which saw a flourishing of arts, sciences, and literature.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Manar. One of the earliest recorded examples is Manar al-Mawsili (777-862 CE), a renowned Arabic musician and theorist who made significant contributions to the development of Arabic music theory and notation.
Another prominent figure was Manar al-Athar (1126-1193 CE), a Syrian philosopher and scholar who authored several influential works on Islamic theology and Sufism. His writings had a profound impact on the intellectual discourse of his time.
In the modern era, Manar Zaher (1938-2020) was a renowned Egyptian actress and singer who gained fame for her performances in numerous Arabic films and television shows. She was widely regarded as one of the most influential and iconic actresses of her generation in the Arab world.
Manar Sami (born 1979) is a Palestinian writer and activist who has been widely recognized for her work in promoting women's rights and advocating for social justice causes in the Middle East. Her writings and advocacy efforts have garnered international acclaim.
Manar Mahmoud (born 1985) is an Iraqi-Canadian architect and urban designer who has gained recognition for her innovative and sustainable architectural projects in various parts of the world. She has received numerous awards and accolades for her work in promoting environmentally-conscious design practices.
People
Manar + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Manar 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
Manar: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Manar?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 714 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Manar 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 480,048 US residents.
Is Manar a common name?
We classify Manar as "Very Rare". It ranks above 87.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 727 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Manar most popular?
The single biggest year for Manar was 2002, when 47 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Manar is about 20 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Manar a female name?
Yes, 99.3% of people registered as Manar 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.