Murad
An Arabic name meaning "desired" or "cherished".
Name Census estimates that about 1,066 living Americans carry the first name Murad. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Murad today is around 20 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Murad births was 2016 (56 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Murad. 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
1.1K
~ 1 in 321,533 Americans
Peak year
2016
56 babies that year
Average age
20
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,975
Tracked since 1971
Popularity
Murad: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Murad from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 346 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Murad remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Murad 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 Murad during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Murads live
The SSA's state-level files cover 9 states and territories. New York, California, New Jersey recorded the most babies named Murad, while Virginia, Texas, Ohio recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 24 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Murad
Murad is a male given name derived from the Arabic word "murid," meaning "one who desires or aspires." Its origins can be traced back to the 7th century CE, when the Islamic faith spread across the Middle East and North Africa.
The name Murad gained popularity during the Ottoman Empire, particularly among the ruling elite and military class. One of the most notable historical figures bearing this name was Murad I, the Ottoman Sultan who reigned from 1362 to 1389. He played a crucial role in the expansion of the Ottoman Empire into the Balkans and is credited with establishing the Janissary corps, an elite military force.
Another prominent figure with the name Murad was Murad II, the Ottoman Sultan who ruled from 1421 to 1451. During his reign, he consolidated the Ottoman Empire's power and engaged in successful military campaigns against the Hungarians and the Venetians.
The name Murad also appears in Persian literature and history. Murad Khani, a 17th-century Kurdish prince and poet, is renowned for his contributions to Kurdish literature and his promotion of Kurdish culture and language.
In India, the name Murad gained recognition through the Mughal Empire. Murad Baksh, the youngest son of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, was a prominent figure in the 17th century. Although he briefly ascended to the throne, his reign was short-lived due to conflicts with his brother Aurangzeb.
Moving forward in history, Murad V was the 35th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, reigning for a brief period in 1876. Despite his short reign, he is remembered for his attempts to implement constitutional reforms and modernize the Ottoman Empire.
These are just a few examples of notable figures throughout history who bore the name Murad. The name has maintained its popularity across various cultures and regions, carrying a sense of aspiration and desire for those who bear it.
People
Murad + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Murad 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
Murad: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Murad?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,066 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Murad 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 321,533 US residents.
Is Murad a common name?
We classify Murad as "Rare". It ranks above 90.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,087 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Murad most popular?
The single biggest year for Murad was 2016, when 56 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Murad is about 20 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Murad a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Murad 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.