Anwar
Borrowed from Arabic أَنْوَر (ʔanwar, “most luminous”).
Every Anwar since 1969 — 2,864 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Anwar
Anwar is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,129 in 2025 with 38 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1969, 2,864 American babies have been named Anwar. Its peak came in 1978, when 144 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1970s.
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 Anwar stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Anwar year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 38 | #3,129 |
| 2024 | — | — | 44 | #2,876 |
| 2023 | — | — | 38 | #3,182 |
| 2022 | — | — | 41 | #3,007 |
| 2021 | — | — | 25 | #4,122 |
| 2020 | 6 | #13,615 | 33 | #3,352 |
| 2019 | — | — | 51 | #2,556 |
| 2018 | — | — | 35 | #3,249 |
| 2017 | — | — | 32 | #3,441 |
| 2016 | — | — | 43 | #2,785 |
| 2015 | 6 | #14,697 | 43 | #2,770 |
| 2014 | — | — | 33 | #3,307 |
| 2013 | 6 | #14,787 | 45 | #2,626 |
| 2012 | 7 | #13,637 | 35 | #3,183 |
| 2011 | — | — | 55 | #2,319 |
| 2010 | — | — | 50 | #2,470 |
| 2009 | 10 | #10,766 | 52 | #2,453 |
| 2008 | 5 | #17,812 | 44 | #2,754 |
| 2007 | — | — | 42 | #2,816 |
| 2006 | 6 | #15,330 | 54 | #2,313 |
| 2005 | — | — | 83 | #1,636 |
| 2004 | — | — | 48 | #2,346 |
| 2003 | — | — | 45 | #2,356 |
| 2002 | — | — | 51 | #2,092 |
| 2001 | — | — | 49 | #2,119 |
| 2000 | 7 | #11,917 | 47 | #2,139 |
| 1995 | 6 | #11,903 | 23 | #3,027 |
| 1990 | — | — | 46 | #1,730 |
| 1985 | 5 | #10,783 | 50 | #1,371 |
| 1980 | 9 | #6,819 | 61 | #1,166 |
| 1975 | — | — | 43 | #1,322 |
| 1970 | — | — | 5 | #4,760 |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Anwar
- Anwar Sadat Politician · 1918–1981
- Anwar Ibrahim Politician · b. 1947
- Anwar al-Awlaki Extremist · 1971–2011
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Anwar mean?
Borrowed from Arabic أَنْوَر (ʔanwar, “most luminous”).
How popular is the name Anwar in 2025?
Anwar ranked #3,129 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 38 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Anwar?
2,864 babies have been named Anwar in the United States since 1969, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Anwar most popular?
Anwar peaked in 1978, when 144 newborns received the name.
Is Anwar a boy or girl name?
Anwar is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 96% of babies with the name.
Is the name Anwar rising or falling?
Anwar has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Anwar?
Well-known people named Anwar include Anwar Sadat (politician), Anwar Ibrahim (politician), Anwar al-Awlaki (extremist).