Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2006

Barak

Meaning lightning Gender Boy Rank 2025 #9,015

From Hebrew בָּרָק (“lightning”).

Rank 2025
#9,015
among boys · ↓3,750 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
8
named Barak
How common
1 in 213,510
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2006
29 babies
All-time total
929
#5,384 all-time among boys
First recorded
1953
in Social Security records

Barak popularity over time

929 babies have been named Barak since 1953, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
00.010.010.0218801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1994Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s – – – –
1930s – – – –
1940s – – – –
1950s 10 1 – #3,846
1960s 63 6 +530% #2,426
1970s 136 14 +116% #2,220
1980s 151 15 +11% #2,347
1990s 214 21 +42% #2,690
2000s 196 20 -8% #3,460
2010s 90 9 -54% #5,844
2020s (to 2025) 69 12 +28% #5,265

The story of Barak

Barak is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #9,015 in 2025 with 8 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1953, 929 American babies have been named Barak. Its peak came in 2006, when 29 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2000s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Barak stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Barak?

The median living Barak is about 30 years old; half are between 19 and 44. An estimated 900 people named Barak are alive in the United States today.

median 30 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Barak year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 8 #9,015
2024 18 #5,265
2023 9 #8,335
2022 14 #6,188
2021 10 #7,663
2020 10 #7,579
2019 15 #5,844
2018 12 #6,750
2017 14 #6,089
2016 8 #8,934
2015 7 #9,686
2014 9 #8,213
2013 7 #9,754
2012 – –
2011 8 #8,843
2010 10 #7,645
2009 14 #6,129
2008 15 #5,801
2007 19 #4,825
2006 29 #3,529
2005 28 #3,460
2004 18 #4,620
2003 22 #3,844
2002 17 #4,524
2001 14 #5,164
2000 20 #3,929
1995 17 #3,713
1990 17 #3,478
1985 16 #2,953
1980 19 #2,541
1975 14 #2,766
1970 17 #2,220
1965 7 #3,264
1960 – –
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Barak

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Barak Barak Israelite military commander in the biblical Book of Judges

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Barak, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Barak?

The median living Barak is about 30 years old. Half of all living Baraks are between 19 and 44 years old.

How many people named Barak are alive today?

An estimated 900 people named Barak are alive in the United States, based on 929 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Barak mean?

From Hebrew בָּרָק (“lightning”).

How popular is the name Barak in 2025?

Barak ranked #9,015 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 8 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Barak?

929 babies have been named Barak in the United States since 1953, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Barak most popular?

Barak peaked in 2006, when 29 newborns received the name.

Is Barak a boy or girl name?

Barak is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Barak rising or falling?

Barak is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Barak?

Well-known people named Barak include Barak (politician).

Names like Barak

Names that sound and feel close to Barak: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Barak with similar names → More names starting with B →