Fun Facts About the Name Qais
- 467 babies named Qais: U.S. records list 467 babies given the name Qais from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Qais Mean?
Qais is an Arabic masculine name, usually a transliteration of Qays (قيس), from the root q-y-s, which means 'to measure, compare, or assess.' Its literal sense is 'measure' or 'measurement'; the related Arabic noun qiyās means 'measurement' or 'analogy.' The name is a single word, not a compound, and it is distinct from Qasim, which comes from a different root.
Qais Name History & Origins
The name Qais is attested in pre-Islamic and early Islamic Arabic. In traditional Arab genealogy, Qays ʿAylān is named as the ancestor of the Qays tribal confederation, one of the major Arab tribal groupings of the pre-Islamic and early Islamic periods. This genealogy is traditional rather than a documented historical record. The personal name Qays was borne by early Islamic figures, including Qays ibn Saʿd ibn ʿUbāda, a companion of Muhammad from Medina who later served as a governor of Egypt. In Arabic literature, the most famous bearer is Qays ibn al-Mulawwah, the 7th-century poet known as Majnūn Laylā ('Layla's madman'), whose love story became a major theme in Arabic, Persian, and Turkish literature. That literary fame is separate from the name's earlier use.
The name continued in Arabic-speaking Muslim and Christian communities. It is found in the Levant, Egypt, Iraq, the Arabian Peninsula, and North Africa, and also in Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. The spellings Qais and Qays both represent the same Arabic name; Qais is common in Egypt and the Levant, while Qays is also widely used. In Pashtun tradition, a figure named Qais Abdur Rashid is described as an ancestor of the Pashtuns; this is a traditional genealogy, not a documented historical account.
How Popular is the Name Qais?
Qais 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 2025. Its best rank was #2,922 in 2025.
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 | #2,922 | 43 | 0.0025% |
| 2024 | #3,251 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 2023 | #3,772 | 30 | 0.0018% |
| 2022 | #3,673 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 2021 | #4,095 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 2020 | #4,241 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 2019 | #3,871 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2018 | #3,679 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 2017 | #5,066 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2016 | #4,282 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 2015 | #4,513 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 2014 | #5,213 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2013 | #4,150 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 2012 | #4,815 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2011 | #5,611 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2010 | #5,965 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2009 | #6,348 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2008 | #10,744 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #10,617 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #13,518 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 2005 | #12,868 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #10,990 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #10,535 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2002 | #12,025 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #11,175 | 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 Qais Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have a fine mind, and you like to talk. A relationship with unknown forces gives you secret strength and an air of mystery. You are deep. You seems to know what people think. You are diplomatic and know how to keep secrets. You attract money. You can be very unusual in habits and interests. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Qais's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Qais's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.