Muna
An Arabic name meaning desired, longed for.
Name Census estimates that about 1,226 living Americans carry the first name Muna. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Muna today is around 21 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Muna births was 2019 (51 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Muna. 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
1.2K
~ 1 in 279,571 Americans
Peak year
2019
51 babies that year
Average age
21
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,161
Tracked since 1968
Popularity
Muna: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Muna from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 374 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Muna remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Muna 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 Muna during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Munas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. Minnesota, Ohio, California recorded the most babies named Muna, while Texas, New York, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 54 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Muna
The name Muna has its origins in the Arabic language, tracing back to the 7th century. It is derived from the Arabic word "munayn," which means "desires" or "wishes." The name is predominantly found in the Middle East and North Africa, particularly in countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Morocco.
In Islamic tradition, the name Muna is associated with the sacred valley near Mecca, where pilgrims gather during the Hajj rituals. The Valley of Muna is mentioned in the Quran, and it is believed to be the place where Prophet Muhammad performed the symbolic ritual of stoning the pillars that represent Satan.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Muna can be found in the 10th century work "Kitab al-Aghani" (The Book of Songs), which mentions a famous female singer and poet named Muna al-Qazzaz. She was renowned for her captivating voice and lyrical compositions, and her contributions to the development of Arabic music are still celebrated today.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Muna. Muna Zaki (1901-1990) was an Egyptian actress and singer who gained popularity during the golden age of Egyptian cinema. She was a pioneering figure in the entertainment industry and paved the way for future generations of actresses.
Muna Wassef (1942-2018) was an Egyptian actress and activist known for her work in promoting human rights and social justice. She was widely respected for her dedication to humanitarian causes and her advocacy for women's rights and education.
Muna Abo Rayyan (born 1980) is a contemporary Iraqi poet and writer whose works explore themes of identity, displacement, and the human experience. Her poetry has been widely acclaimed and translated into multiple languages.
Muna Al-Fuzai (born 1962) is a Kuwaiti writer and journalist who has made significant contributions to the literary scene in the Arabian Gulf region. Her novels and short stories have garnered critical acclaim and brought attention to the diverse voices of Arab women writers.
Muna Haddad (born 1971) is a Jordanian-born entrepreneur and philanthropist. She founded Barakat, a non-profit organization that provides educational opportunities for refugees and marginalized communities in the Middle East and North Africa.
The name Muna has a rich cultural heritage and has been carried by influential figures across various fields, from literature and arts to activism and entrepreneurship, leaving an indelible mark on the history and traditions of the Arabic-speaking world.
People
Muna + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Muna 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
Muna: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Muna?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,226 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Muna 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 279,571 US residents.
Is Muna a common name?
We classify Muna as "Rare". It ranks above 91.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,255 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Muna most popular?
The single biggest year for Muna was 2019, when 51 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Muna is about 21 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Muna a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Muna 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.