Suhaib
A masculine Arabic name meaning companion or friend.
Name Census estimates that about 488 living Americans carry the first name Suhaib. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Suhaib today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Suhaib births was 2019 (36 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Suhaib. 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
488
~ 1 in 702,365 Americans
Peak year
2019
36 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,016
Tracked since 1991
Popularity
Suhaib: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Suhaib from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 239 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Suhaib remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Suhaib 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 Suhaib during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Suhaibs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Minnesota, Ohio, California recorded the most babies named Suhaib, while California, Ohio, Minnesota recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 13 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Suhaib
The name Suhaib has its origins in the Arabic language and culture, dating back to the 7th century during the rise of Islam. It is derived from the Arabic word "sahib," which means "companion" or "friend." The name Suhaib has a strong connection to the early Muslim community and the life of Prophet Muhammad.
One of the most notable historical references to the name Suhaib is found in the story of Suhaib ibn Sinan, a companion of Prophet Muhammad. He was born in Yemen in the late 6th century and was one of the first people to embrace Islam. Suhaib faced persecution in Mecca for his faith and was forced to migrate to Medina along with other early Muslims. Prophet Muhammad praised him for his steadfastness and devotion.
The earliest recorded example of the name Suhaib can be found in the biographies of the companions of Prophet Muhammad, known as the "Sahaba." These accounts, recorded in the 7th and 8th centuries, document the lives of individuals like Suhaib ibn Sinan, who played crucial roles in the early Muslim community.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Suhaib. One of them was Suhaib al-Rumi, a Persian scholar and poet who lived in the 9th century. He was renowned for his expertise in Arabic literature and his poetic works.
Another famous Suhaib was Suhaib Erdem, a Turkish historian and author who lived from 1913 to 1985. He made significant contributions to the study of Ottoman history and published numerous books on the subject.
In the modern era, Suhaib Webb, an American Islamic scholar and former hip-hop artist, has gained prominence for his work in promoting Islamic teachings and connecting with Muslim youth. He was born in 1976 and has authored several books on Islam.
Suhaib Ilyasi, an Indian television host and producer, is also a notable figure associated with the name. He was born in 1961 and is best known for hosting the popular crime TV show "India's Most Wanted."
These are just a few examples of prominent individuals throughout history who have carried the name Suhaib, reflecting its deep-rooted significance within the Arabic and Islamic traditions.
People
Suhaib + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Suhaib 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
Suhaib: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Suhaib?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 488 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Suhaib 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 702,365 US residents.
Is Suhaib a common name?
We classify Suhaib as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 493 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Suhaib most popular?
The single biggest year for Suhaib was 2019, when 36 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Suhaib is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Suhaib a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Suhaib 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.