Given name · also Arabic

Altair

“resembling a bird”

Altair is used as a given name. Interpretations include “resembling the flying eagle; a bright star in the constellation Aquila” (Arabic) and “resembling a bird” (Greek). These may reflect different naming traditions.

Meaning & origin

What it means

Interpretations include “resembling the flying eagle; a bright star in the constellation Aquila” (Arabic) and “resembling a bird” (Greek). These may reflect different naming traditions.

Where it comes from

This spelling has been associated with Arabic and Greek naming traditions.

The story

Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 2008. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.

From dated birth records

Altair through the years

Babies since 1880
413
245 boys · 168 girls
Most popular year
2012
33 babies
2025
16
#5,618 for boys
2021–25 vs 2016–20
−3%
Steady
Boys Girls
051015202025Highest share 2024Boys 9.4Girls 0.0
Altair in U.S. Social Security birth records, 2008–2025, per million births of each sex. Years with fewer than five births for a sex are not published and appear as zero. Use the arrow keys to step through years.

By the numbers

In 2025, this name appeared in 16 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 5,618 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 22.5% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 376 as a first name in 2020.

From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.

Altair’s family of names

Altair has a related form in Alltaer. Altair has a related form in Alltair. Altair has a related form in Alltare.

Walk Altair’s family in the name graph

AltairAltairaAltayraAltaireAltareAltayrAlltayreAlltareAlltaerAlltayrAltaerAlltairAltaeraAltaereAltayre

The ring: nicknames and forms.

Hover or tab through the constellation to see how each name is related. Bigger dots are names more people in the U.S. share.

People named Altair

Characters named Altair: Altaïr Ibn-LaʼAhad (Assassin's Creed video game series).

Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.

Similar names

If you love Altair, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.

Greek · Modern

Athens

“from the capital of Greece”

20RareRising

71% boys · 29% girls

Greek · Modern

Solaris

“of the sun”

22RareRising fast

50% boys · 50% girls

Persian · Modern

Armani

“one who is desired; a goal”

67FamiliarRising

56% boys · 44% girls

Greek · Modern

Phoenix

Phoenix is a unisex given name from Latin, ultimately from Ancient Greek.

71CommonSteady

60% boys · 40% girls

Persian · Royal

Amiri

“a prince” · “from the treetop”

62FamiliarRising fast

65% boys · 35% girls

Modern

Ocean

“sea”

62FamiliarRising fast

56% boys · 44% girls

Modern

Amaree

“having great strength; a builder” · “one who will be forever beautiful”

28RareEasing

52% boys · 48% girls

Greek · Modern

Kallen

“a handsome man”

44UncommonSteady

94% boys · 6% girls

Sibling ideas

Names that share Altair’s feel without repeating its first letter or rhyming with it.

A brother for Altair

A sister for Altair