Raqib
A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "watchful" or "guardian".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Raqib. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Raqib today is around 22 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Raqib births was 2004 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Raqib. 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 Raqib with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Raqib. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
2004
6 babies that year
Average age
22
years old
2004 SSA rank
#11,032
Tracked since 2004
Popularity
Raqib: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Raqib 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 Raqib 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 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Raqib
The name Raqib has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "raqib," which means "watchful" or "vigilant." The name is believed to have been in use since the early days of Islam, around the 7th century CE.
The name Raqib is often associated with the concept of being watchful and attentive, particularly in a spiritual or religious sense. It is mentioned in the Quran, the holy book of Islam, in reference to the angels who are appointed to watch over and record the deeds of human beings.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Raqib can be found in the works of renowned Islamic scholars and writers from the 8th and 9th centuries CE, such as Al-Jahiz and Al-Kindi. These scholars often used the name Raqib as a metaphor for the divine watchfulness of God over His creation.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Raqib. One of the most famous was Raqib al-Din Al-Isfahani (1207-1283 CE), a Persian scholar and poet known for his contributions to the field of Arabic literature and his mastery of the Arabic language.
Another prominent figure with the name Raqib was Raqib al-Din Muhammad (1435-1508 CE), a Persian mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the development of Islamic science and mathematics during the Renaissance period.
In the 19th century, Raqib Ali Khan (1834-1891) was a renowned Indian poet and writer who wrote extensively in Urdu and Persian. His works explored themes of love, spirituality, and the human condition.
Raqib al-Din Ahmad (1855-1931), an Indian Muslim scholar and writer, was also a notable bearer of this name. He was known for his translations of classical Arabic texts and his efforts to promote Islamic education in British India.
Raqib Shaw (born 1976) is a contemporary artist from India who has gained international recognition for his intricate and richly detailed paintings, which often incorporate elements of Islamic art and mythology.
The name Raqib continues to be used in various parts of the Arab and Muslim world, as well as among Muslim communities in other regions, reflecting its deep-rooted cultural and religious significance.
People
Raqib + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Raqib 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
Raqib: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Raqib?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Raqib 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Raqib a common name?
We classify Raqib as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Raqib most popular?
The single biggest year for Raqib was 2004, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Raqib is about 22 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 Raqib in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Raqib a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Raqib 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 Raqib still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Raqib 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 Raqib 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 common is the name Raqib?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people share the name Raqib at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.