Qusay
An Arabic name meaning "handsome" or "strong".
Name Census estimates that about 153 living Americans carry the first name Qusay. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Qusay today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Qusay births was 2017 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Qusay. 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 Qusay with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
153
~ 1 in 2,240,224 Americans
Peak year
2017
17 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,707
Tracked since 2008
Popularity
Qusay: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Qusay from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 97 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Qusay remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Qusay 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 Qusay during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Qusays live
Origin
Meaning and history of Qusay
The name Qusay has its origins in the Arabic language and culture, with roots dating back to the 7th century CE. It is derived from the Arabic word "qaws," which means "bow" or "arc," symbolizing strength and resilience.
In the early Islamic era, the name Qusay was associated with warriors and archers known for their skill and bravery. Historical records suggest that one of the earliest individuals to bear this name was Qusay ibn Kilab, a prominent leader from the Quraysh tribe in Mecca, who lived in the late 6th and early 7th centuries.
The name Qusay gained further significance during the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled from 750 to 1258 CE. One of the most notable figures with this name was Qusay ibn Muawiyah, a renowned military commander and governor who lived in the 8th century CE. He played a crucial role in the expansion and consolidation of the Abbasid Empire.
Throughout Islamic history, the name Qusay has been associated with individuals of notable stature and accomplishments. One such example is Qusay ibn Isma'il, a celebrated poet and scholar who lived in the 10th century CE and was renowned for his mastery of the Arabic language and literature.
Another prominent figure bearing the name Qusay was Qusay al-Nuri, a Syrian statesman and diplomat who served as the Foreign Minister of Syria from 1951 to 1958. He played a significant role in shaping Syria's foreign policy during a tumultuous period in the country's history.
In more recent times, Qusay Saddam Hussein, the son of the former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, held a prominent position in the Iraqi government and military. He was born in 1966 and was considered a potential successor to his father before his death in 2003 during the Iraq War.
It is worth noting that while the name Qusay has historical and cultural significance within the Arabic-speaking world, its usage has been relatively limited in other regions and cultures. However, its rich heritage and association with strength, resilience, and leadership have contributed to its enduring presence throughout the centuries.
People
Qusay + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Qusay as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Q
Other first names starting with Q with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Qusay: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Qusay?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 153 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Qusay 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 2,240,224 US residents.
Is Qusay a common name?
We classify Qusay as "Very Rare". It ranks above 70.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 154 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Qusay most popular?
The single biggest year for Qusay was 2017, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Qusay is about 9 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 Qusay in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Qusay a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Qusay 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 Qusay still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Qusay 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 Qusay 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 the name Qusay?
If you just want to know how many Americans are named Qusay, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.