Fun Facts About the Name Arafat
- 191 babies named Arafat: U.S. records list 191 babies given the name Arafat from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Arafat Mean?
Arafat is an Arabic masculine name taken from the place name ʿArafāt (Arabic: عَرَفَات), the plain and hill near Mecca where Hajj pilgrims gather for a central rite. The place name is traditionally connected with the Arabic root ʿ-r-f, "to know, recognize," but its exact derivation is disputed. One customary explanation says that Adam and Eve recognized each other there; another says that pilgrims come to acknowledge God's mercy. These are traditional interpretations rather than a secure literal translation. As a personal name, Arafat refers to the sacred site rather than to an ordinary Arabic noun.
Arafat Name History & Origins
Arafat is a place name transferred to personal use. The plain of Arafat is central to the Hajj, and Islamic tradition links the rites performed there to Abraham and Ishmael. The name is used as a male given name in Arabic-speaking and other Muslim communities, and it also occurs as a surname. In English, the surname is familiar from the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat (1929 - 2004). Transliteration into English usually drops the ʿayn and the long-vowel marks, giving the form Arafat; other spellings such as Arafath and Arafaat also occur.
How Popular is the Name Arafat?
Arafat has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2011. Its best rank was #4,761 in 1970.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,836 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2024 | #7,259 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2023 | #7,314 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2022 | #7,800 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2021 | #7,130 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2020 | #6,647 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2019 | #8,959 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2018 | #7,654 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2017 | #10,877 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #6,751 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2015 | #10,757 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2014 | #8,184 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2013 | #6,631 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2011 | #6,278 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2010 | #10,860 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #9,934 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #9,069 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2005 | #11,589 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #7,612 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #7,983 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1975 | #5,512 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1970 | #4,761 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Arafat Shapes Your Personality and Life?
Powerful and complete. You are good intellectually and require several outlets for your energies. You are not a builder but a planner, and you want others to carry out your plans. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Arafat's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Arafat's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.