Given name & surname · also Turkish
Murad
Murad is a masculine given name from Ottoman Turkish, ultimately from Arabic. It is used in English, Azerbaijani, and Tausug.
Original TurkishMurat
Meaning & origin
Where it comes from
Murad comes from Ottoman Turkish, and ultimately from Arabic.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
How it developed
From Ottoman Turkish مراد (murad), from Arabic مُرَاد; its root is Arabic ر و د.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1971. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Murad through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,133
- 1,133 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2016
- 56 babies
- 2025
- 45
- #2,825 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −1%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 45 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,825 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 1.4% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 56 in 2016. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (9). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,768 as a first name in 2020; 2,396 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Murad’s family of names
In English usage, Murad shares a linguistic root with the French form MOURAD. In English usage, Murad has a conventional equivalent in the Turkmen form MYRAT. In English usage, Murad has a conventional equivalent in the French form MOURAD.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Murad has relatives in 8 languages. Lines run from its Arabic roots to each of them.
7 related names in 8 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 5
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Murad
- Murad IIsixth Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1421–1444, 1446–1451)1404–1451
- Murad III12th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1574–1595)1546–1595
- Murad Ithird Ottoman sultan (1362–1389)1326–1389
- Murad IVthe 17th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1623–1640)1612–1640
- Murad V33th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1876)1840–1904
- Jack KevorkianAmerican pathologist, euthanasia activist (1928-2011)
- Murad BeyEgyptian noble (1750–1801)
- Murad GirayCrimean Khan1627–1696
- Kuyucu Murad PashaOttoman grand vizier (1530–1611)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Murad, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Hamad
“praise”
>99% boys
Marwan
Marwan is a masculine given name from Arabic.
>99% boys
Amjad
“more glorious” · “having glory and honor”
>99% boys
Mahmud
“one who is praiseworthy”
>99% boys
Kerim
Kerim is a masculine given name from Ottoman Turkish, ultimately from Arabic. It is used in Turkish.
>99% boys
Kanaan
Kanaan is a surname from Arabic.
>99% boys
Youssef
Youssef is a masculine given name from Arabic. It is used in English and French.
>99% boys
Jubran
Jubran is a masculine given name from Arabic.
>99% boys