Hanif
A male given name from Arabic.
Every Hanif since 1971 — 784 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Hanif
Hanif is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #9,205 in 2025 with 8 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1971, 784 American babies have been named Hanif. Its peak came in 2004, 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 Hanif stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Hanif 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 | #9,205 |
| 2024 | 16 | #5,746 |
| 2023 | 20 | #4,944 |
| 2022 | 19 | #5,099 |
| 2021 | 8 | #9,136 |
| 2020 | 17 | #5,327 |
| 2019 | 13 | #6,545 |
| 2018 | 9 | #8,397 |
| 2017 | 11 | #7,270 |
| 2016 | 14 | #6,148 |
| 2015 | 16 | #5,594 |
| 2014 | 19 | #4,940 |
| 2013 | 14 | #6,026 |
| 2012 | 22 | #4,443 |
| 2011 | 10 | #7,696 |
| 2010 | 22 | #4,413 |
| 2009 | 16 | #5,649 |
| 2008 | 29 | #3,680 |
| 2007 | 22 | #4,417 |
| 2006 | 15 | #5,618 |
| 2005 | 23 | #3,976 |
| 2004 | 29 | #3,315 |
| 2003 | 18 | #4,498 |
| 2002 | 13 | #5,518 |
| 2001 | 17 | #4,560 |
| 2000 | 12 | #5,698 |
| 1995 | 11 | #5,275 |
| 1990 | 17 | #3,506 |
| 1985 | 17 | #2,878 |
| 1980 | 12 | #3,490 |
| 1975 | 11 | #3,316 |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Hanif
- Hanif Kureishi Writer · b. 1954
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Hanif mean?
A male given name from Arabic.
How popular is the name Hanif in 2025?
Hanif ranked #9,205 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 Hanif?
784 babies have been named Hanif in the United States since 1971, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Hanif most popular?
Hanif peaked in 2004, when 29 newborns received the name.
Is Hanif a boy or girl name?
Hanif is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Hanif rising or falling?
Hanif has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Hanif?
Well-known people named Hanif include Hanif Kureishi (writer).