Boy · #7,180 in 2026

Pharoah

The Pharaoh was the monarch of ancient Egypt. The title came into use from the Eighteenth Dynasty onwards and was subsequently attributed to all the previous kings of Egypt. Before this Pharaoh was a term that meant more of the kings' administration.

Current Rank
#7,180
Peak Rank
#3,071 (2017)
Total Babies
691
5-Yr Trend
-52%
1936
First Year
2026
Last Year
2017
Peak Year
#3071
Peak Rank
691
Total Count
49
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Pharoah

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

The Pharaoh was the monarch of ancient Egypt. The title came into use from the Eighteenth Dynasty onwards and was subsequently attributed to all the previous kings of Egypt. Before this Pharaoh was a term that meant more of the kings' administration.

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

Etymology
The word pharaoh ultimately derives from the Egyptian compound pr ꜥꜣ , * /ˌpaɾuwˈʕaʀ/ "great house", written with the two biliteral hieroglyphs pr "house" and ꜥꜣ "column", here meaning "great" or "high". It was the title of the royal palace and was used only in larger phrases such as smr pr-ꜥꜣ "Courtier of the High House", with specific reference to the buildings of the court or palace. From the Twelfth Dynasty onward, the word appears in a wish formula "Great House, May it Live, Prosper, and be in Health ", but again only with reference to the royal palace and not a person. The Mask of Tutank

The Story of Pharoah

Pharoah first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1936, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2017, when 37 Pharoahs were born — ranking #3,122 that year. As of 2026, Pharoah ranks #7,180 for baby boys with 10 births, falling sharply (-52%). In total, more than 691 Pharoahs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1930s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Names that sound like Pharoah

Phonetically similar names — useful when Pharoah 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 Pharoah

What does the name Pharoah mean?
The Pharaoh was the monarch of ancient Egypt. The title came into use from the Eighteenth Dynasty onwards and was subsequently attributed to all the previous kings of Egypt. Before this Pharaoh was a term that meant more of the kings' administration.
How popular is Pharoah in 2026?
In 2026, Pharoah ranks #7,180 among boys' names in the U.S., with 10 babies given the name that year.
When was Pharoah most popular?
Pharoah reached its peak popularity in 2017, ranking #3,071 that year with 37 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Pharoah most popular?
Pharoah has historically been most popular in Georgia, New York, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Pharoah.
Is Pharoah a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Pharoah is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Pharoah?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Pharoah include Lebaron, Rafel, Reade. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Lebaron
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Rafel
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Reade
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👦
Dina
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👦
Carlitos
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Darvell
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Taris
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Quintel
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About the name Pharoah

Pharoah is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1936 and has accumulated 691 births in the dataset. Pharoah's peak popularity came in 2017 when it ranked #3,071. Use the chart and map above to compare Pharoah'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.