Rahm
A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "mercy" or "compassion".
Name Census estimates that about 159 living Americans carry the first name Rahm. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Rahm today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rahm births was 2022 (18 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rahm. 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
159
~ 1 in 2,155,688 Americans
Peak year
2022
18 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,152
Tracked since 2008
Popularity
Rahm: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rahm 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 87 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Rahm remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rahm 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 Rahm during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Rahms live
Origin
Meaning and history of Rahm
The name Rahm originates from Arabic and holds deep roots in the Islamic faith. It stems from the Arabic word "rahmat," which translates to "mercy" or "compassion." The name's earliest known usage can be traced back to the 7th century CE, around the time of the rise of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula.
In Islamic tradition, Rahm is one of the 99 names attributed to Allah, signifying His boundless mercy and grace towards all creation. The name's association with divine mercy has made it a popular choice among Muslim families for centuries, symbolizing their hope for their child to embody these virtues.
Historically, the name Rahm has been recorded in various Islamic texts and scriptures, including the Qur'an and Hadith literature. One notable figure bearing this name was Rahm ibn Humayd al-Kinani, a renowned scholar and jurist who lived in the 8th century CE and made significant contributions to Islamic jurisprudence.
Among the earliest recorded individuals with the name Rahm was Rahm ibn Sabit al-Ansari, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and a respected poet who lived in the 7th century CE. His poetry often praised the virtues of Islam and celebrated the Prophet's teachings.
Another notable figure was Rahm ibn Jābir al-Bājali, a renowned Islamic scholar and philosopher from Spain who lived during the 11th century CE. He made significant contributions to the fields of logic, metaphysics, and ethics, and his works influenced the development of Islamic thought.
In the 13th century CE, Rahm al-Din ibn al-Wali was a prominent Sufi mystic and poet from Persia. His poetic works, imbued with spiritual wisdom and devotion, continue to inspire seekers of truth and enlightenment to this day.
Rahm ibn Abi Bakr al-Siddiq, born in the 7th century CE, was the son of the first caliph of Islam, Abu Bakr. He played a crucial role in the early days of the Islamic caliphate and was revered for his piety and knowledge.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who bore the name Rahm throughout history, reflecting its deep-rooted cultural and religious significance within the Islamic tradition.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Rahm
People
Rahm + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rahm as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Rahm: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rahm?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 159 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rahm 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 2,155,688 US residents.
Is Rahm a common name?
We classify Rahm as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 160 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rahm most popular?
The single biggest year for Rahm was 2022, when 18 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rahm is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Rahm a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rahm 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.