Shafeeq
A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "merciful" or "compassionate".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Shafeeq. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Shafeeq today is around 20 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shafeeq births was 2006 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shafeeq. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Shafeeq. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
2006
6 babies that year
Average age
20
years old
2006 SSA rank
#11,818
Tracked since 2006
Popularity
Shafeeq: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Shafeeq 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 Shafeeq 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 Shafeeq
The name Shafeeq has its origins in the Arabic language and can be traced back to ancient times. It is derived from the Arabic word "shafeeq," which means "compassionate" or "merciful." The name is believed to have originated in the Middle East region, particularly in areas where Arabic was the predominant language.
In Islamic tradition, the name Shafeeq has significance and is often associated with the attributes of kindness and gentleness. It is mentioned in the Quran, the holy book of Islam, where it is used to describe the qualities of Allah (God) and the Prophet Muhammad.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Shafeeq can be found in historical texts from the 7th century, during the time of the Islamic Golden Age. During this period, several notable figures bore the name, including Shafeeq al-Balkhi, a renowned Persian scholar and philosopher who lived in the 9th century.
Throughout history, the name Shafeeq has been carried by many influential individuals from various fields. One notable figure was Shafeeq al-Mughirzade, a 14th-century Ottoman calligrapher and poet who made significant contributions to the art of calligraphy and literature during his time.
Another prominent figure with the name Shafeeq was Shafeeq Ghobash, a 20th-century Palestinian politician and intellectual who played a crucial role in the Palestinian national movement. He was born in 1910 and was known for his advocacy of Palestinian rights and his efforts to promote education and cultural development.
In the realm of literature, Shafeeq Ur Rahman Shafeeq was a celebrated Urdu poet from Pakistan who lived from 1924 to 1980. His poetry explored themes of love, spirituality, and social issues, and he is considered one of the most influential poets of the 20th century in the Urdu language.
Shafeeq Zaheer, an Indian actor and director born in 1924, also made significant contributions to the Indian film industry. He directed several acclaimed films and is remembered for his work in promoting socially relevant cinema.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Shafeeq, which carries a rich cultural and historical significance, particularly in the Arabic and Islamic traditions.
People
Shafeeq + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shafeeq as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Shafeeq: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shafeeq?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shafeeq 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 Shafeeq a common name?
We classify Shafeeq 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 Shafeeq most popular?
The single biggest year for Shafeeq was 2006, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shafeeq is about 20 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 Shafeeq in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Shafeeq a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shafeeq 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 Shafeeq still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Shafeeq 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 Shafeeq 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 Americans are named Shafeeq?
Want to know how many people share the name Shafeeq? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.