Zaheed
An Arabic masculine name meaning "abstinent" or "one who refrains from wrong".
Name Census estimates that about 9 living Americans carry the first name Zaheed. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zaheed today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zaheed births was 2020 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zaheed. 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 Zaheed with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Zaheed. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
9
~ 1 in 38,083,815 Americans
Peak year
2020
9 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2020 SSA rank
#8,705
Tracked since 2020
Popularity
Zaheed: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Zaheed 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 Zaheed 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 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Zaheed
The name Zaheed is of Arabic origin and is derived from the root word "zahd," which means "abstinence" or "asceticism." It is believed to have emerged during the early Islamic era, around the 7th century CE. The name is commonly found in the Middle East and parts of North Africa, where Arabic culture and language have had a significant influence.
In Islamic tradition, the concept of "zahd" is closely associated with spiritual purification and detachment from worldly desires. It is a virtue highly valued in Sufism, the mystical branch of Islam. As such, the name Zaheed may have been given to individuals who embodied these qualities or were believed to be on a spiritual path.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Zaheed can be found in the writings of Islamic scholars and historians from the 9th and 10th centuries. These works often mention individuals with this name, though specific details about their lives and accomplishments are scarce.
Throughout history, there have been several notable figures who bore the name Zaheed. One such individual was Zaheed al-Bukhari, a renowned Islamic scholar and hadith collector who lived in the 9th century CE. His work, known as "Sahih al-Bukhari," is considered one of the most authentic collections of prophetic traditions in Islam.
Another prominent figure was Zaheed al-Kafawi, an Arab lexicographer and grammarian who lived in the 16th century CE. He authored several influential works on Arabic language and literature, including the lexicon "Al-Kulliyat."
In the realm of literature, Zaheed al-Andalusi was a celebrated poet and writer from the 11th century CE. He was born in Andalusia (modern-day Spain) and is known for his contributions to Arabic poetry during the golden age of Islamic culture in the Iberian Peninsula.
Moving to more recent times, Zaheed Quraishi was a Pakistani diplomat and statesman who served as the country's Foreign Minister in the 1970s. He played a crucial role in shaping Pakistan's foreign policy during a turbulent period in its history.
Finally, Zaheed Hussain was an Indian cricket player who represented the national team in the late 20th century. He was a talented wicket-keeper and contributed significantly to the team's success during his playing career.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the name Zaheed throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and disciplines.
People
Zaheed + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zaheed as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Z
Other first names starting with Z with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Zaheed: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zaheed?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 9 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zaheed 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 38,083,815 US residents.
Is Zaheed a common name?
We classify Zaheed as "Very Rare". It ranks above 25.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 9 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zaheed most popular?
The single biggest year for Zaheed was 2020, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zaheed 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 Zaheed in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Zaheed a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zaheed 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 Zaheed still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Zaheed 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 Zaheed 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 Zaheed?
Find out how many people share the name Zaheed on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.