Total births
2,278
Boys' name · since 1962
Tarek
2,278 babies named Tarek in U.S. Social Security records since 1962, with the highest year being 1996. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #4104
- among boys today
- 2,278
- born since 1962
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 71%
- more common than other boys
Tarek currently ranks #4104 among boys' names in America, with 2,278 babies recorded since 1962.
Tarek has 2,278 recorded births among boys since 1962, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #4104 as of the latest data, more common than 71% of boys, busiest in the 1990s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1962 to 2025.
- #4104 among boys today
- 2,278 born since 1962
- 1990s peak decade
- 71% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Tarek is currently the #4104 boys' name in America, more common than 71% of boys - 2,278 born since 1962, peaking in the 1990s.
- #4104
- among boys today
- 2,278
- born since 1962
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 71%
- more common than other boys
Tarek vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4104
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 71% of names given to boys today.
1990s
Peak decade
24% of everyone ever named Tarek was born in this single decade.
1996
Single peak year
64 babies were named Tarek in 1996 - its busiest year on record.
How Tarek compares
2,278 Top 20% higher than 80% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Tarek's all-time total is 6x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Tarek | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,278 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 64 | 23 | 22,252 |
Tarek's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Tarek splits its recorded history at 1994: 59% of all births land in the more recent half, 41% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1963 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1996 peak of 64 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Tarek at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1996
Current rank
#4,104
Active since
1962
Tarek popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1962–2025
- Peak year (1996)
- 64
- Annual births at peak, across 64 years of records
Tarek by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Tarek's strongest decade.
553 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 24% of all-time use.
Tarek births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 76
1960s
76 births
- 1970s
1970s
242 births
- 1980s
1980s
383 births
- 1990s
1990s
553 births
- 2000s
2000s
444 births
- 2010s
2010s
395 births
- 2020s 185
2020s
185 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 553 births (24% of all-time use).
How Tarek compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Tarek's total volume
Tarek vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Tarek by state
Where Tarek concentrates geographically, total births since 1962
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 263 | 11.5% |
| #2 | New York | | 202 | 8.9% |
| #3 | Texas | | 80 | 3.5% |
| #4 | Michigan | | 67 | 2.9% |
| #5 | Florida | | 34 | 1.5% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 21 | 0.9% |
| #7 | New Jersey | | 12 | 0.5% |
| #8 | Massachusetts | | 10 | 0.4% |
California share of Tarek's total US births 11.5%
Even split
263 of 2,278 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 10 reporting states.
Tarek appears in 10 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Tarek? ▼
Tarek has been given to 2,278 babies in the U.S. since 1962, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #4104 as of the latest data. 64 babies were born in 1996, its single highest year.
When was Tarek most popular? ▼
Tarek was most popular in the 1990s decade with 553 total births. The single peak year was 1996.
Where is Tarek most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Tarek are California (263 births), New York (202 births), Texas (80 births).
How long has the name Tarek been used? ▼
Records for Tarek go back to 1962, giving 64 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Tarek? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Tariq, Tarik, Taron, Taran, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Tarek's data
- Tarek's usage has stayed within range of its 1990s decade-level peak (553 total births) through the 2020s (185) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Tareks (263 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Tarek
Nearby Names Like Tarek
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Tarek
Tariq Boy
#1407 6,878 births
Tarik Boy
#3360 4,181 births
Taron Boy
#4009 2,726 births
Taran Boy
#3641 2,073 births
Tarrance Boy
904 births
Compare Tarek side by side: Tarek vs Tariq Tarek vs Tarik Tarek vs Taron
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Tarek
Antwon #4103
6,388 births · Peak 1990
Fabrizio #4105
1,370 births · Peak 2007
Heinrich #4102
526 births · Peak 2024
Kori #4106
1,565 births · Peak 1989
Brando #4101
2,102 births · Peak 2005
Trevin #4107
4,644 births · Peak 2008
Bradlee #4100
3,470 births · Peak 2012
Tylon #4108
1,234 births · Peak 2006
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1962–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Tarek: #4104 Boys' Name - 2,278 Births, Peak 1996." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/tarek. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Tarek draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.