Najib
An Arabic masculine name meaning noble, generous or distinguished.
Name Census estimates that about 362 living Americans carry the first name Najib. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Najib today is around 21 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Najib births was 2007 (18 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Najib. 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
362
~ 1 in 946,835 Americans
Peak year
2007
18 babies that year
Average age
21
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,111
Tracked since 1979
Popularity
Najib: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Najib from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 128 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Najib 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 Najib during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Najibs live
Origin
Meaning and history of Najib
The name Najib has its origins in the Arabic language and is derived from the root word "najab," which means "noble" or "distinguished." This name has been used in the Arab world and Islamic cultures for centuries.
The earliest recorded use of the name Najib dates back to the 7th century AD, during the time of the Islamic Golden Age. It appeared in various historical texts and records from that era, often referring to prominent figures or scholars.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Najib was Najib al-Din al-Suharawardi, a renowned Sufi mystic and philosopher who lived in the 12th century (1097-1168). His writings and teachings had a significant impact on the development of Islamic mysticism.
Another historical figure with the name Najib was Najib ad-Din Yusuf, a Persian poet and scholar from the 13th century (1201-1292). He is known for his contributions to Persian literature and his poetic works, which were widely appreciated during his time.
In the 14th century, Najib al-Din Mahmud al-Balkhi was a prominent Persian physician and scholar. He wrote extensively on medicine and made significant contributions to the field of pharmacology.
Moving forward to the 16th century, Najib al-Din Ali ibn Husayn al-Ghazzali, also known as Najib al-Din al-Ghazzali, was a prominent Islamic scholar and philosopher from Persia. He was influential in the field of Islamic theology and authored several works on various subjects.
In more recent history, Najib Razak (born in 1953) was the 6th Prime Minister of Malaysia, serving from 2009 to 2018. He is a prominent political figure and has played a significant role in Malaysian politics.
The name Najib has continued to be popular in various Arab and Islamic cultures, with many individuals bearing this name throughout history. It carries connotations of nobility, distinction, and prestige, making it a respected and esteemed name in these regions.
People
Najib + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Najib as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Najib: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Najib?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 362 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Najib 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 946,835 US residents.
Is Najib a common name?
We classify Najib as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 368 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Najib most popular?
The single biggest year for Najib was 2007, when 18 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Najib is about 21 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Najib a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Najib 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.