Rahman
Rahman or Rehman is an Arabic and Hebrew origin surname meaning "Gracious", "King", "Merciful" or "Lord" based on the triconsonantal root R-Ḥ-M. With nisba, the name becomes Rehmani, meaning "descendant of the gracious one". It is also used as a surname by some people belonging to the Sayyed community and some Pashtuns in India and Pakistan.
Meaning & Origin of Rahman
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Rahman or Rehman is an Arabic and Hebrew origin surname meaning "Gracious", "King", "Merciful" or "Lord" based on the triconsonantal root R-Ḥ-M. With nisba, the name becomes Rehmani, meaning "descendant of the gracious one". It is also used as a surname by some people belonging to the Sayyed community and some Pashtuns in India and Pakistan.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Rahman
Rahman first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1959, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1976, when 52 Rahmans were born — ranking #1,190 that year. As of 2026, Rahman ranks #4,796 for baby boys with 21 births, holding steady (+4%). In total, more than 1K Rahmans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Rahman
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- A. R. Rahman (born 1967), Oscar Award-winning Indian music composer, singer, and songwriter
- Aarif Lee (born Aarif Rahman) (born 1987), Chinese-Canadian singer, songwriter and actor
- Amrah bint Abdul Rahman (died 717), Islamic scholar
- Hasim Rahman (born 1972), former heavyweight boxing champion
- Kader Rahman (1938–2024), Hong Kong field hockey player
- Merina Rahman (born 1943), Bangladeshi Jatiya Party politician and Member of Parliament
- Md Mostaqur Rahman (born 1966), Bangladeshi cost and management accountant, 14th governor of Bangladesh Bank
- Mizan Rahman (1932–2015), Bangladeshi Canadian mathematician and writer
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Rahman
Phonetically similar names — useful when Rahman 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 Rahman
What does the name Rahman mean?
How popular is Rahman in 2026?
When was Rahman most popular?
In which U.S. states is Rahman most popular?
Is Rahman a unisex name?
What names go well with Rahman?
About the name Rahman
Rahman is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1959 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Rahman's peak popularity came in 1976 when it ranked #1,190. Use the chart and map above to compare Rahman's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1976 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- Names starting with "R" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.