Zakir
Masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "one who remembers (God)."
Name Census estimates that about 578 living Americans carry the first name Zakir. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Zakir today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zakir births was 2015 (37 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zakir. 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
578
~ 1 in 593,001 Americans
Peak year
2015
37 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,051
Tracked since 1990
Popularity
Zakir: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zakir 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 263 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Zakir remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zakir 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 Zakir during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Zakirs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Pennsylvania, California, New York recorded the most babies named Zakir, while New York, California, Pennsylvania recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 16 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Zakir
Zakir is a masculine given name with origins tracing back to the Arabic language. The name's roots can be found in the Arabic word "zakir," which means "to remember" or "to recite." It is closely associated with Islamic tradition and culture.
In the early days of Islam, the term "zakir" was used to refer to individuals who recited or memorized the verses of the Quran. These reciters played a crucial role in preserving and spreading the teachings of Islam through oral traditions, particularly during a time when literacy was not widespread.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Zakir can be found in historical records and manuscripts from the 7th and 8th centuries CE, coinciding with the spread of Islam across the Arabian Peninsula and beyond. It is believed that some of the earliest bearers of this name were companions of the Prophet Muhammad or their descendants.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Zakir. One of the most renowned is Zakir Hussain (1897-1969), an Indian musician and composer who served as the President of India from 1967 until his death in 1969. He was a virtuoso tabla player and is credited with popularizing Indian classical music on a global scale.
Another prominent figure is Zakir Naik (born 1965), an Indian Islamic preacher and public speaker. He is the founder of the Islamic Research Foundation and has gained a significant following through his lectures and television appearances, where he discusses various Islamic topics.
In the realm of literature, Zakir Hussain Khan (1897-1948) was a renowned Urdu poet and writer from British India. His works, including the poetry collection "Naqsh-e-Faryadi," are celebrated for their depth and emotional resonance.
Additionally, Zakir Ali Khan (1873-1963) was an Indian politician and statesman who served as the first Education Minister of Pakistan after the country's independence in 1947.
Zakir Naik (born 1921), an Indian diplomat and former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, is another notable figure who has carried this name.
It is worth noting that while the name Zakir has its origins in Arabic and Islamic culture, it has been adopted and used by various communities across the world, particularly in regions with significant Muslim populations or those influenced by Islamic traditions.
People
Zakir + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zakir 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
Zakir: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zakir?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 578 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zakir 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 593,001 US residents.
Is Zakir a common name?
We classify Zakir as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 584 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zakir most popular?
The single biggest year for Zakir was 2015, when 37 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zakir is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Zakir a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zakir 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.