Nuraz
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "divine light" or "luminous lady".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Nuraz. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Nuraz today is around 17 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nuraz births was 2009 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nuraz. 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 Nuraz with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Nuraz. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2009
5 babies that year
Average age
17
years old
2009 SSA rank
#13,919
Tracked since 2009
Popularity
Nuraz: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Nuraz 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 Nuraz 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 Nuraz
The name Nuraz has its origins in the ancient Sumerian language, which was spoken in the southern region of Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq, during the 3rd millennium BC. It is derived from the Sumerian word "nuraz," which means "bright" or "shining." The name was likely bestowed upon individuals who were considered radiant or luminous in character or appearance.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Nuraz can be found in the Sumerian cuneiform tablets from the city of Uruk, dating back to around 2500 BC. These tablets contain records of various administrative and economic activities, suggesting that individuals with the name Nuraz held positions of importance within the Sumerian society.
In the later Akkadian period, which spanned from the 24th to the 22nd century BC, the name Nuraz appeared in several ancient Mesopotamian texts. It was often used as a theophoric name, meaning it incorporated the name of a deity, in this case, the Sumerian sun god Utu, who was associated with light and warmth.
One of the earliest known individuals to bear the name Nuraz was a Sumerian nobleman and high-ranking official who lived around 2300 BC. His name was inscribed on several clay tablets discovered in the ruins of the ancient city of Nippur.
Another notable figure with the name Nuraz was a Babylonian scribe and scholar who lived during the reign of King Hammurabi in the 18th century BC. His name was recorded on several cuneiform tablets that contained legal documents and astronomical observations.
In the later Assyrian Empire, which flourished between the 9th and 7th centuries BC, the name Nuraz was also present. An Assyrian military commander named Nuraz is mentioned in the annals of King Ashurnasirpal II, who ruled from 883 to 859 BC. This Nuraz led a successful campaign against the Aramean tribes in the region of modern-day Syria.
During the Persian Achaemenid Empire, which spanned from the 6th to the 4th century BC, the name Nuraz appeared in various administrative records and inscriptions. One such individual was a Persian nobleman and advisor to King Darius I, who ruled from 522 to 486 BC.
Throughout the centuries, the name Nuraz has been associated with individuals from various cultures and backgrounds, reflecting the diverse influence of the ancient Near Eastern civilizations. While its usage may have waned over time, the name Nuraz remains a testament to the rich linguistic and cultural heritage of the region.
People
Nuraz + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nuraz 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
Nuraz: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nuraz?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nuraz 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 Nuraz a common name?
We classify Nuraz 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 Nuraz most popular?
The single biggest year for Nuraz was 2009, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nuraz is about 17 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 Nuraz in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nuraz a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nuraz 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 Nuraz still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nuraz 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 Nuraz 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 have Nuraz as a first name?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.