Raqeeb
A masculine Arabic name meaning "watcher" or "guardian".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Raqeeb. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Raqeeb today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Raqeeb births was 2013 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Raqeeb. 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 Raqeeb with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Raqeeb. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2013
5 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2013 SSA rank
#13,619
Tracked since 2013
Popularity
Raqeeb: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Raqeeb 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 Raqeeb during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Raqeeb
The name Raqeeb originates from the Arabic language and has its roots in the Middle Eastern and Islamic cultures. It is derived from the Arabic word "raqib," which means "watcher" or "guardian." This name carries a strong religious and cultural significance in the Islamic tradition.
The earliest recorded use of the name Raqeeb dates back to the 7th century AD, during the time of the Prophet Muhammad and the founding of Islam. The name is mentioned in the Quran, the holy book of Islam, where it is used as one of the attributes of Allah, referring to Him as the "Ever-Watchful" or "The Guardian."
In Islamic tradition, the name Raqeeb is often associated with the concept of divine protection and guidance. It is believed that those who bear this name are under the watchful eye of God and are guided by His wisdom and mercy.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Raqeeb was Raqeeb ibn Saad, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad who lived in the 7th century AD. He was known for his bravery and loyalty to the Islamic cause.
Another notable figure with the name Raqeeb was Raqeeb al-Din al-Isfahani, a Persian scholar and poet who lived in the 13th century AD. He was renowned for his contributions to literature and Islamic philosophy.
In the 14th century, Raqeeb al-Din al-Samarqandi was a prominent mathematician and astronomer from Samarkand, modern-day Uzbekistan. He made significant contributions to the field of mathematics and was known for his work on the calculation of planetary positions.
During the Ottoman Empire, Raqeeb Pasha was a Grand Vizier who served under Sultan Murad IV in the 17th century. He played a crucial role in the administration and governance of the Ottoman Empire.
More recently, Raqeeb Shehab-ud-Din was a Pakistani author and journalist who lived from 1916 to 1986. He was known for his literary works and his advocacy for the rights of minorities in Pakistan.
Throughout history, the name Raqeeb has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, poets, mathematicians, and leaders. It continues to hold a significant place in the Islamic tradition and is often chosen by parents who wish to impart the values of watchfulness, protection, and divine guidance to their children.
People
Raqeeb + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Raqeeb 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
Raqeeb: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Raqeeb?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Raqeeb 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 Raqeeb a common name?
We classify Raqeeb 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 Raqeeb most popular?
The single biggest year for Raqeeb was 2013, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Raqeeb is about 13 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 Raqeeb in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Raqeeb a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Raqeeb 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 Raqeeb still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Raqeeb 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 Raqeeb 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 are named Raqeeb?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.