Fun Facts About the Name Usman
- More than 1 thousand babies named Usman: U.S. records list 1,728 babies given the name Usman from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Usman Mean?
Usman is an Arabic male given name meaning "young bustard." It is a common transliteration of the Arabic name ʿUthmān (عثمان), also rendered Uthman, Othman, or Osman. A bustard is a large, ground-dwelling bird, and classical Arabic lexicography records ʿuthmān as a word for a young or small bustard. The name is not a compound, and its derivation from a verbal root is not securely established; the usual explanation rests on this bird noun. The spelling Usman reflects the pronunciation of the name in Urdu and other South Asian languages, where the Arabic th sound is rendered as s. The Turkish form Osman is another language-specific development of the same Arabic name.
Usman Name History & Origins
The Arabic name ʿUthmān was in use in Arabia before Islam. Its best-known early bearer is ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān (about 576 - 656), a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and the third caliph, who ruled from 644 to 656. In Islamic tradition he is remembered for ordering the standardization of the Quranic text, and the name is closely associated with him.
As the Arabic language and Muslim societies spread, the name took different forms in different languages. In Ottoman Turkish, Arabic ʿUthmān became Osman. Osman I (died around 1323/24) founded the Ottoman principality, and the dynasty and empire were named after him; the English word Ottoman comes ultimately from the Arabic name through Ottoman Turkish and European languages. In Urdu and other South Asian languages, the same name is pronounced Usmān, which is the source of the English spelling Usman. The spelling also appears in West Africa in the name of Usman dan Fodio (1754 - 1817), the scholar and leader of the Sokoto Caliphate.
How Popular is the Name Usman?
Usman 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 #1,607 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 | #1,607 | 106 | 0.0062% |
| 2024 | #1,717 | 97 | 0.0057% |
| 2023 | #1,866 | 86 | 0.0050% |
| 2022 | #1,735 | 97 | 0.0056% |
| 2021 | #1,837 | 85 | 0.0049% |
| 2020 | #2,414 | 55 | 0.0032% |
| 2019 | #2,842 | 44 | 0.0025% |
| 2018 | #2,576 | 50 | 0.0028% |
| 2017 | #3,763 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 2016 | #2,684 | 46 | 0.0024% |
| 2015 | #2,961 | 40 | 0.0021% |
| 2014 | #3,150 | 36 | 0.0019% |
| 2013 | #2,950 | 39 | 0.0021% |
| 2012 | #3,706 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 2011 | #4,207 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 2010 | #2,821 | 43 | 0.0022% |
| 2009 | #3,631 | 30 | 0.0015% |
| 2008 | #2,941 | 41 | 0.0020% |
| 2007 | #3,304 | 34 | 0.0016% |
| 2006 | #2,828 | 41 | 0.0020% |
| 2005 | #3,520 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 2004 | #3,728 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 2003 | #3,113 | 31 | 0.0016% |
| 2002 | #2,290 | 46 | 0.0024% |
| 2001 | #2,925 | 32 | 0.0016% |
| 2000 | #2,989 | 30 | 0.0015% |
| 1999 | #2,558 | 35 | 0.0018% |
| 1998 | #2,311 | 39 | 0.0020% |
| 1997 | #2,543 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 1996 | #2,480 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 1995 | #2,137 | 39 | 0.0020% |
| 1994 | #2,216 | 37 | 0.0019% |
| 1993 | #2,691 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 1992 | #2,828 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 1991 | #2,907 | 23 | 0.0011% |
| 1990 | #2,774 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 1989 | #3,085 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1988 | #3,515 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1987 | #2,634 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1986 | #2,424 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 1985 | #2,822 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1984 | #2,436 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1983 | #4,881 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1982 | #2,701 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1981 | #3,402 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1980 | #4,917 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1979 | #6,022 | 6 | 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 Usman Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have talent, charm and luck. You can succeed in art and in any educational occupation. You attract peculiar experiences. Your power and protection lies in spiritual side of life. You are an enthusiastic collector and you will be tenacious in holding onto the things you accumulate. You have a good memory and should make an effort to have a positive attitude. Emergencies may raise your intuitive abilities in order to resolve conflict or situation. You become very creative under the pressure, and have quite original ideas to make the best out of it.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Usman's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Usman's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.