Mekih
A masculine name of Arabic origin derived from words meaning "strong" and "powerful".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Mekih. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Mekih today is around 22 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mekih births was 2004 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mekih. 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 Mekih. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2004
5 babies that year
Average age
22
years old
2004 SSA rank
#12,575
Tracked since 2004
Popularity
Mekih: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Mekih 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 Mekih 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 Mekih
The given name Mekih has its origins in the ancient Sumerian language, which flourished in the region of Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) around 3500-3000 BCE. The name is derived from the Sumerian word "me-ki-ih," which translates to "guardian of the earth." This suggests that the name was initially bestowed upon individuals who were believed to possess a deep connection with the land and its resources.
The earliest known reference to the name Mekih can be found in the cuneiform inscriptions on clay tablets from the city-state of Uruk, one of the earliest known urban settlements in the world. These tablets date back to the 4th millennium BCE and record the names of various individuals, including those bearing the name Mekih.
One of the most notable historical figures bearing the name Mekih was a Sumerian priestess who lived around 2600 BCE. She was renowned for her expertise in agricultural rituals and her ability to interpret the will of the gods. Her name, Mekih-shagara, literally means "Mekih, the bountiful one," reflecting her role in ensuring bountiful harvests.
In the 2nd millennium BCE, the name Mekih gained prominence in the Akkadian Empire, which spanned parts of modern-day Syria, Turkey, and Iran. During this period, a prominent military leader named Mekih-ili is recorded as having led successful campaigns against neighboring kingdoms, earning him a reputation as a skilled strategist.
Another notable figure was Mekih-enlil, a Babylonian astronomer who lived around 1500 BCE. He is credited with making significant contributions to the study of celestial bodies and their movements, laying the foundation for the development of astrology in ancient Mesopotamia.
In the 1st millennium BCE, the name Mekih appeared in the ancient Aramaic language, which was widely spoken in the Middle East. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Mekih bar Abba, a renowned scholar and scribe from the city of Palmyra (modern-day Syria) who lived around 300 BCE. He is known for his meticulous translations of ancient texts and his role in preserving the cultural heritage of the region.
During the Byzantine era, around the 5th century CE, a prominent figure named Mekih of Antioch gained recognition as a skilled physician and philosopher. His medical treatises and teachings on the principles of ethics and morality were highly regarded and influential during that time.
Throughout history, the name Mekih has been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, from agriculture and warfare to astronomy and scholarship. While its usage may have waned in modern times, the name remains a testament to the rich cultural heritage of ancient Mesopotamia and its enduring influence on the region.
People
Mekih + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mekih 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
Mekih: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mekih?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mekih 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 Mekih a common name?
We classify Mekih 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 Mekih most popular?
The single biggest year for Mekih was 2004, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mekih is about 22 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 Mekih in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Mekih a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Mekih 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 Mekih still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Mekih 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 Mekih 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 Mekih?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.