Mousa
A boy's name of Arabic origin with 513 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A surname.
Mousa is a boy's baby name, a variant of Musa, the Arabic form of Moses, from Hebrew meaning 'drawn from the water' — referring to the biblical patriarch found in the Nile as an infant. Moses is revered as a prophet in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Mousa is widely used across the Arab world and among Muslim communities globally. It carries the full weight of one of history's most significant figures — the lawgiver, the liberator — in a form that feels natural in Arabic-speaking and Islamic cultural contexts.
EtymologyShow more
Mousa is built from 5 letters and two syllables — a mid-length form that balances memorability with distinctiveness. Within the Arabic naming tradition, this brevity is common among names that have been worn down through centuries of use, shedding syllables along the way.
The interplay of consonants and vowels in Mousa creates its characteristic open, warm quality. Two-syllable names are the most common length in American naming, hitting a natural speech rhythm that works across formal and informal contexts.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Mousa climbed 8580 spots in the last 20 years — from #12605 to #4025.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 123 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 164 | ▲ |
| 2000s | 102 | ▲ |
| 1990s | 84 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 27 | ▲ |
| 1970s | 13 | — |
The Story of Mousa
A Gen Alpha name
Peaking in 2023, Mousa is a fresh, modern favorite. Boys named Mousa are most likely born between 2013 and 2024.
How rare is Mousa?
Only about 1 in every 133,333 babies born in 2024 was named Mousa — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1978, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 2010s with 164 births that decade, and remains solidly popular today.
Mousa by the numbers
- Would fill 11 school buses
- Meeting one Mousa per day would take 1.4 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(40 years, 1978–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 27 | #4025 |
| 2023 | 30 | #3765 |
| 2022 | 20 | #4965 |
| 2021 | 21 | #4724 |
| 2020 | 25 | #4106 |
| 2019 | 19 | #5094 |
| 2018 | 23 | #4445 |
| 2017 | 18 | #5237 |
| 2016 | 16 | #5702 |
| 2015 | 19 | #5002 |
| 2014 | 16 | #5637 |
| 2013 | 14 | #6139 |
| 2012 | 15 | #5892 |
| 2011 | 11 | #7340 |
| 2010 | 13 | #6599 |
| 2009 | 9 | #8769 |
| 2008 | 18 | #5194 |
| 2007 | 6 | #11893 |
| 2006 | 10 | #7823 |
| 2005 | 13 | #6110 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mousa a boy's or girl's name?
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Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1978–2024