Boy · #2,774 in 2026

Anwar

Name: Popularity of the name Anwar in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Anwar, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Anwar is the English transliteration of two Arabic names commonly used in the Arab world by both Arab Christians and Muslims: the male given name ʼAnwar (أنور), meaning "luminous" or the female given name ʼAnwār (أنوار), meaning "a collection of lights". In Arabic, Anwar is also a comparative adjective with the meaning of "more enlightened".

Current Rank

#2,774

Peak Rank

#697 (1978)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

+22%

1980

First Year

2020

Last Year

2009

Peak Year

#10678

Peak Rank

103

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Anwar

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Anwar

Anwar first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1969, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1978, when 144 Anwars were born — ranking #697 that year. As of 2026, Anwar ranks #2,774 for baby boys with 46 births, rising sharply (+22% over the past five years). In total, more than 3K Anwars have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Anwar

Phonetically similar names — useful when Anwar is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Anwr
Anshar
Armoire
Unware
Unwire
Manwhore
Anear
Anbar
Inure
Renoir
Peignoir
Lenoir

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Anwar

What does the name Anwar mean?

How popular is Anwar in 2026?

In 2026, Anwar ranks #2,774 among boys' names in the U.S., with 46 babies given the name that year.

When was Anwar most popular?

Anwar reached its peak popularity in 1978, ranking #697 that year with 144 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Anwar most popular?

Anwar has historically been most popular in District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, Georgia. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Anwar.

Is Anwar a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Anwar is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Anwar?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Anwar include Karsyn, Adrien, Orvil. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Anwar

Anwar is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1969 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Anwar's peak popularity came in 1978 when it ranked #697. Use the chart and map above to compare Anwar's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.