Markwan
A masculine Arabic name meaning "soldier's wagon" or "chariot of war".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Markwan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Markwan today is around 26 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Markwan births was 2000 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Markwan. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Markwan. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2000
5 babies that year
Average age
26
years old
2000 SSA rank
#11,529
Tracked since 2000
Popularity
Markwan: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Markwan 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 Markwan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Markwan
The name Markwan is of Arabic origin, derived from the combination of two words: "Markab," which means "ship" or "vessel," and "wan," which is believed to be a diminutive suffix. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone associated with ships or maritime activities, such as a sailor or a shipbuilder.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Markwan can be traced back to the 7th century CE, during the early years of the Islamic era. It is believed that the name was used among Arab tribes in the Arabian Peninsula and the surrounding regions.
One of the most notable historical figures bearing the name Markwan was Marwan I, the fourth caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate, who ruled from 684 to 685 CE. He was a skilled military leader and administrator who played a crucial role in consolidating the Umayyad dynasty's power.
Another prominent individual with the name Markwan was Marwan II, the last Umayyad caliph, who reigned from 744 to 750 CE. Despite his efforts to maintain the caliphate's authority, he was eventually defeated by the Abbasid revolution, marking the end of the Umayyad dynasty.
In the realm of literature, there was a famous Arab poet named Marwan ibn Abi Hafsa, who lived in the 7th century CE. He was renowned for his eloquent and thought-provoking verses, which often explored themes of love, nature, and life's struggles.
Moving forward in history, there was a notable Moroccan historian and scholar named Marwan al-Tilimsani, who lived in the 12th century CE. He authored several works on Islamic history, jurisprudence, and literature, contributing to the preservation and dissemination of knowledge during his time.
In more recent centuries, the name Markwan has been less common, but there have been a few notable individuals who carried it. For example, Marwan Barghouti, a prominent Palestinian political figure and activist, was born in 1959 and has been a leading voice in the Palestinian struggle for self-determination.
While the name Markwan may not be as widely used today as it once was, its historical significance and rich cultural heritage remain intact, serving as a testament to the diverse and fascinating tapestry of human naming traditions.
People
Markwan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Markwan 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
Markwan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Markwan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Markwan 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Markwan a common name?
We classify Markwan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Markwan most popular?
The single biggest year for Markwan was 2000, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Markwan is about 26 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 Markwan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Markwan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Markwan 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 Markwan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Markwan 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 Markwan 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 people are called Markwan?
Find out how many Americans are named Markwan on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.