Masiah
A feminine name derived from the Arabic word "masiah" meaning "walker" or "wanderer".
Name Census estimates that about 1,254 living Americans carry the first name Masiah. It is a predominantly male name (90.3% of registrations). The average person named Masiah today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Masiah births was 2022 (105 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Masiah. 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
- • Masiah is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 10 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.3K
~ 1 in 273,329 Americans
Peak year
2022
105 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,580
Tracked since 1997
Gender
Gender distribution for Masiah
Masiah leans heavily male at 90.3% of total registrations, but 122 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Masiah as a male name
- Ranked #2,580 in 2024
- 52 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2022 (105 births)
Masiah as a female name
- Ranked #12,050 in 2019
- 8 female births in 2019
- Peak: 2009 (14 births)
Popularity
Masiah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Masiah from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 678 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Masiah remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Masiah 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 Masiah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Masiahs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 16 states and territories. Texas, Florida, California recorded the most babies named Masiah, while Missouri, New Jersey, Mississippi recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 23 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Masiah
The name Masiah is believed to have its origins in ancient Hebrew and Arabic cultures. It is derived from the Hebrew word "mashiah," which means "anointed one" or "messiah." The name has strong religious connotations and is often associated with the concept of a savior or redeemer.
In the Hebrew Bible, the term "mashiah" is used to refer to individuals who were anointed with oil, signifying their selection for a sacred role or position. This practice was common for kings, priests, and prophets. The name Masiah may have been given to individuals with a perceived divine calling or those destined for greatness.
The earliest recorded use of the name Masiah can be traced back to ancient Jewish and Christian texts. In the New Testament, the name appears as "Messiah," referring to Jesus Christ, who was believed to be the promised Savior of humanity. This association with the Messiah figure has contributed to the name's enduring significance in various religious traditions.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Masiah. One of the earliest was Masiah ben Joseph, a Jewish scholar who lived in the 3rd century CE and authored works on halakha (Jewish law). Another prominent figure was Masiah al-Qurtubi, an influential 10th-century Muslim scholar and theologian from Cordoba, Spain.
In the 16th century, Masiah ben Israel, also known as Manasseh Ben Israel, was a renowned Jewish writer, scholar, and advocate for the readmission of Jews to England. His works played a crucial role in shaping the discourse on religious tolerance and Jewish rights.
During the 17th century, Masiah Montefiore was an Italian-born Jewish philanthropist and financier who dedicated his life to improving the lives of Jewish communities worldwide. He is remembered for his humanitarian efforts and advocacy for Jewish rights.
Another notable figure was Masiah Judah Navon, an 18th-century Jewish scholar and kabbalist from Morocco. He authored several influential works on Jewish mysticism and was revered for his spiritual wisdom.
While these are just a few examples, the name Masiah has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and eras, each leaving their mark on history through their contributions to various fields, including religion, scholarship, literature, and humanitarian endeavors.
People
Masiah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Masiah 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
Masiah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Masiah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,254 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Masiah 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 273,329 US residents.
Is Masiah a common name?
We classify Masiah as "Rare". It ranks above 91.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,264 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Masiah most popular?
The single biggest year for Masiah was 2022, when 105 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Masiah is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Masiah a male name?
Yes, 90.3% of people registered as Masiah 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.