Rahman
A masculine Arabic name meaning "the most gracious one".
Name Census estimates that about 1,212 living Americans carry the first name Rahman. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Rahman today is around 32 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rahman births was 1976 (52 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rahman. 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
1.2K
~ 1 in 282,801 Americans
Peak year
1976
52 babies that year
Average age
32
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,988
Tracked since 1959
Popularity
Rahman: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rahman from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 311 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1970s peak, Rahman remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rahman 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 Rahman during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Rahmans live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. New Jersey, California, New York recorded the most babies named Rahman, while Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 27 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Rahman
The name Rahman is derived from the Arabic word "Rahman" which means "the Most Merciful" or "the Most Gracious." It is one of the names attributed to God in Islam and is considered a beautiful and meaningful name.
The name has its roots in the Quran, the holy book of Islam, where it is mentioned numerous times as one of the attributes of God. It is believed to have been in use since the 7th century, during the time of the Prophet Muhammad and the early days of Islam.
Rahman is a name that has been popular among Muslims throughout history. One of the earliest recorded examples of the name is Rahman ibn Abi Layla, a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist who lived in the 8th century.
Another notable figure with the name Rahman was Rahman al-Jami, a famous Persian poet and scholar who lived in the 15th century. His works, which include poetry, prose, and commentaries on Islamic texts, are highly regarded in the Persian literary tradition.
In the 19th century, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, a pioneering Muslim philosopher, educator, and social reformer, was also known by the name Rahman. He played a crucial role in the establishment of modern education in British India and advocated for the reconciliation of Islamic teachings with modern Western thought.
The name Rahman has also been borne by religious leaders and scholars throughout history. One such example is Muhammad Abdul Rahman, a prominent Islamic scholar and teacher who lived in the 20th century and made significant contributions to the study and understanding of the Quran.
Another notable figure with the name Rahman is Rahman Baba, a revered Pashtun poet and Sufi saint from the 17th century. His poetry, which often revolves around themes of love, spirituality, and mysticism, is widely celebrated in the Pashtun culture and has influenced generations of poets and writers.
The name Rahman has a rich history and has been carried by many influential figures throughout the ages. Its meaning and association with divine mercy and grace have made it a popular choice among Muslims, and it continues to be a respected and meaningful name in many parts of the world.
People
Rahman + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rahman 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
Rahman: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rahman?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,212 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rahman 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 282,801 US residents.
Is Rahman a common name?
We classify Rahman as "Rare". It ranks above 91.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,261 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rahman most popular?
The single biggest year for Rahman was 1976, when 52 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rahman is about 32 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Rahman a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rahman 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.