Taif
An Arabic topographic name referring to a city in western Saudi Arabia.
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Taif. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Taif today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Taif births was 2020 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Taif. 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 Taif with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Taif. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
2020
6 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2020 SSA rank
#11,850
Tracked since 2020
Popularity
Taif: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Taif 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 Taif during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Taif
The name Taif is believed to have originated from the Arabic language, with its roots traced back to the Arabian Peninsula during ancient times. It is derived from the Arabic word "tayyib," which means "pleasant" or "fragrant." This linguistic connection suggests that the name Taif may have initially been associated with pleasant or fragrant qualities.
Taif is also the name of a city located in the western region of Saudi Arabia, nestled in the Sarawat Mountains. This city has a rich history dating back to pre-Islamic times and was known for its fertile lands, lush gardens, and pleasant climate. It is possible that the name Taif was inspired by the beautiful and fragrant surroundings of this ancient city.
In Islamic history, the name Taif appears in the context of the Prophet Muhammad's life. According to historical accounts, the Prophet and his companions sought refuge in the city of Taif after facing persecution in Mecca. However, they were not welcomed by the people of Taif, who mistreated them and drove them out of the city. Despite this rejection, the Prophet's visit to Taif became a significant event in Islamic history.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Taif was Taif Al-Darir, a renowned Arabian poet and philosopher who lived during the 7th century CE. He was known for his insightful poetry and philosophical writings, which explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition.
Another notable figure with the name Taif was Taif Al-Jazari, a brilliant engineer and inventor who lived in the 12th century CE. He is best known for his contributions to the field of mechanical engineering, particularly his groundbreaking work on automata and water clocks. His inventions and writings had a lasting impact on the development of engineering and technology in the Islamic world.
In more recent history, Taif Al-Sham was a prominent Syrian poet and writer who lived in the 20th century (1917-1986). He was celebrated for his powerful poetry, which often explored themes of resistance, freedom, and national identity. His works played a significant role in shaping the literary landscape of modern Arabic literature.
Taif Al-Hakim was an Egyptian playwright and novelist who lived from 1898 to 1987. He is regarded as one of the pioneers of modern Arabic literature and is best known for his plays, which tackled social and political issues in a thought-provoking manner. His works have been widely studied and performed throughout the Arab world.
Finally, Taif Al-Khudair was a Saudi Arabian artist and calligrapher who lived from 1919 to 2002. He was renowned for his exquisite calligraphic works and his contributions to preserving and promoting the art of Arabic calligraphy. His pieces are displayed in numerous galleries and museums around the world, celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the Arabic script.
People
Taif + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Taif as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Taif: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Taif?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Taif 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 Taif a common name?
We classify Taif 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 Taif most popular?
The single biggest year for Taif was 2020, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Taif is about 6 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 Taif in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Taif a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Taif 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 Taif still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Taif 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 Taif 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 Taif?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.