Misbah
Misbah or Musbah is a Muslim Arabic name meaning "lamp" or "light". This name has originated from The Qur'an from Ayatu-n-Nur, also known as the Ayat of light, from the following verse:
Meaning & Origin of Misbah
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Misbah or Musbah is a Muslim Arabic name meaning "lamp" or "light". This name has originated from The Qur'an from Ayatu-n-Nur, also known as the Ayat of light, from the following verse:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Misbah
As a girl name
Misbah first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1987, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1999, when 13 Misbahs were born — ranking #7,239 that year. As of 2026, Misbah ranks #13,427 for girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 135 Misbahs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Misbah first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 2010, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 9 Misbahs were born — ranking #8,294 that year. As of 2026, Misbah ranks #8,294 for boys with 9 births, with steady use. In total, more than 21 Misbahs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Misbah
Phonetically similar names — useful when Misbah 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 Misbah
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About the name Misbah
Misbah is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1987 and has accumulated 135 births in the dataset. Misbah's peak popularity came in 1999 when it ranked #7,239. Use the chart and map above to compare Misbah's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1999 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- Browse all girl 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.