Mehraab
A masculine Arabic name signifying a raised niche in a mosque.
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Mehraab. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Mehraab today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mehraab births was 2021 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mehraab. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Mehraab with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Mehraab. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
2021
6 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2021 SSA rank
#11,658
Tracked since 2021
Popularity
Mehraab: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Mehraab 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 Mehraab during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Mehraab
The name Mehraab finds its origins in the Persian language and culture, with its roots traced back to ancient Persia, now known as Iran. Mehraab is a combination of two Persian words, "mehr" meaning love or kindness, and "aab" meaning water or fountain.
In ancient Persian mythology, the concept of "mehr" was associated with the divine principle of love, friendship, and compassion. The word "aab" held significant symbolism, representing purity, life, and nourishment. When combined, Mehraab evokes the imagery of a fountain or wellspring of love and benevolence.
The name Mehraab has been mentioned in various Persian literary works and historical texts dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have been used as a given name among the nobility and aristocratic families of Persia during the reign of the Safavid dynasty (1501-1736).
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mehraab can be found in the writings of the renowned Persian poet, Hafez (1315-1390), who composed beautiful verses praising the virtues of love and wisdom. Although not referring to a specific individual, Hafez used the name Mehraab as a poetic metaphor, symbolizing the fountain of divine love.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Mehraab:
1. Mehraab Khan (1729-1794), a prominent military leader and statesman during the Durrani Empire in Afghanistan.
2. Mehraab Ali Khan (1832-1908), a renowned politician and reformist from the Indian subcontinent, who played a pivotal role in the promotion of education and social reforms.
3. Mehraab Qazi (1858-1942), a celebrated Urdu poet and scholar from British India, known for his contributions to Urdu literature.
4. Mehraab Hossain (1905-1982), a renowned Bengali writer and playwright from Bangladesh, whose works explored themes of social justice and human rights.
5. Mehraab Iqbal (1927-1999), a distinguished Pakistani artist and calligrapher, renowned for his exquisite calligraphic compositions and dedication to preserving the art form.
While these are just a few examples, the name Mehraab has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scholars, and leaders, throughout the centuries. Its enduring presence in Persian and neighboring cultures reflects the profound symbolism and rich heritage associated with this name.
People
Mehraab + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mehraab 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
Mehraab: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mehraab?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mehraab 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Mehraab a common name?
We classify Mehraab as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mehraab most popular?
The single biggest year for Mehraab was 2021, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mehraab is about 5 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 Mehraab in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Mehraab a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Mehraab 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 Mehraab still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Mehraab 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 Mehraab 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 common is the name Mehraab?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.