Baraka
Baraka is a male given name. Notable people with the surname include:Baraka Atkins, American former professional footballer Baraka bint Thaʿlaba, known as Umm Ayman, a disciple of Muhammad Baraka Majogoro, Tanzanian footballer Barack Obama, Sr. (1934–1982), born Baraka Obama, Kenyan father of U.S. President Barack Obama
- Swahili
Meaning & Origin of Baraka
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Baraka is a male given name. Notable people with the surname include:Baraka Atkins, American former professional footballer Baraka bint Thaʿlaba, known as Umm Ayman, a disciple of Muhammad Baraka Majogoro, Tanzanian footballer Barack Obama, Sr. (1934–1982), born Baraka Obama, Kenyan father of U.S. President Barack Obama
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Swahili
The Story of Baraka
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Baraka as a girl name dates back to 1973, when 5 babies received it. 1981 was its biggest year on record, with 8 newborns named Baraka — #7,409 in the national rankings. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 43% of all recorded Barakas. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2019 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 23 Barakas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Baraka first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1971, with 6 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2021: 24 births, good for #4,246 nationwide. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 32% of all recorded Barakas. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #5,206 among boy names with 18 births, gradually rising (+6%). In total, more than 405 Barakas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Baraka
Phonetically similar names — useful when Baraka is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Baraka
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About the name Baraka
Baraka is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1971 and has accumulated 405 births in the dataset. Baraka's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #2,158. Use the chart and map above to compare Baraka's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2021 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "B" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.