Musawir
An Arabic masculine name meaning "artist" or "painter".
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Musawir. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Musawir today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Musawir births was 2021 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Musawir. 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 Musawir with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Musawir. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
2021
6 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2023 SSA rank
#13,529
Tracked since 2021
Popularity
Musawir: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Musawir 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 Musawir 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 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Musawir
The name Musawir has its roots in the Arabic language and culture, originating from the word "sawwara," which means "to form" or "to depict." This name is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, when the Islamic civilization flourished and made significant contributions to various fields, including art and literature.
The term "musawir" was initially used to refer to artists, painters, or those skilled in creating visual representations. It was a prestigious title bestowed upon individuals who possessed exceptional talents in capturing the beauty and essence of subjects through their artistic expressions. The name's association with the art of depiction reflects the cultural importance placed on artistic pursuits during that era.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Musawir can be found in historical chronicles and literary works from the 9th and 10th centuries. Several renowned scholars, artists, and calligraphers bore this name, reflecting their mastery in their respective fields. One notable individual was Musawir al-Hajj, a renowned calligrapher who lived in the 10th century and whose works adorned the walls of mosques and palaces across the Islamic world.
Throughout history, the name Musawir has been carried by various influential figures, including scholars, poets, and artists. One such figure was Musawir al-Din Mahmud, a 13th-century Persian poet and philosopher known for his mystical poetry and contributions to Sufism. Another notable bearer of this name was Musawir Khan, an 18th-century artist from the Mughal Empire who was renowned for his exquisite miniature paintings and intricate calligraphy.
In the field of literature, Musawir Ali Khan, a 19th-century Urdu poet from India, gained recognition for his poetic works that celebrated the beauty of nature and human emotions. Additionally, Musawir Shah, a 16th-century Persian painter, was highly regarded for his vibrant and detailed depictions of court life and historical events.
The name Musawir continues to be used in various parts of the world, particularly in regions with significant Arabic and Islamic cultural influences. While its popularity may have fluctuated over time, the name's rich history and association with artistic excellence have endured, serving as a reminder of the profound impact of Islamic civilization on the arts and cultural traditions.
People
Musawir + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Musawir 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
Musawir: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Musawir?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Musawir 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 31,159,485 US residents.
Is Musawir a common name?
We classify Musawir as "Very Rare". It ranks above 30.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Musawir most popular?
The single biggest year for Musawir was 2021, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Musawir is about 4 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 Musawir in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Musawir a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Musawir 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 Musawir still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Musawir 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 Musawir 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 Musawir?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.