Moussa
A boy's name of Arabic origin with 1,057 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
a male given name from Arabic, equivalent to English Musa
Moussa is a boy's baby name of Arabic origin, the Arabic form of Moses, from the Hebrew Moshe, meaning 'drawn out of the water' — for Moses being drawn from the Nile as an infant by Pharaoh's daughter.
Moussa is the form used across West and North Africa — in Senegal, Mali, Guinea, and throughout Francophone Africa — as Moses is one of the most revered prophets in Islam. It carries the same weight as Moses but with the warm, Francophone-African inflection of its regional pronunciation.
EtymologyShow more
In the American context, Moussa is a boy's name with several decades of recorded use (1988–2024). Its Arabic roots connect it to a broader naming tradition, but in practice, American usage often reshapes names — adding nicknames, shifting pronunciation, and building new associations that diverge from the original cultural context.
Today, Moussa is an active part of the American naming landscape (ranked #3489), continuing to accumulate its own cultural meaning with each new child who carries it.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Moussa was #2937 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #3489, but its charm endures.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 183 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 403 | ▲ |
| 2000s | 340 | ▲ |
| 1990s | 123 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 8 | — |
The Story of Moussa
A Gen Alpha name
Peaking in 2013, Moussa is a fresh, modern favorite. Boys named Moussa are most likely born between 2003 and 2023.
How rare is Moussa?
Only about 1 in every 109,091 babies born in 2024 was named Moussa — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1988, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 2010s with 403 births that decade, and has gracefully settled into a quieter chapter.
Moussa by the numbers
- Would fill 22 school buses
- Meeting one Moussa per day would take 2.9 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(36 years, 1988–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 33 | #3489 |
| 2023 | 45 | #2830 |
| 2022 | 35 | #3389 |
| 2021 | 35 | #3337 |
| 2020 | 35 | #3248 |
| 2019 | 42 | #2922 |
| 2018 | 46 | #2691 |
| 2017 | 39 | #3050 |
| 2016 | 42 | #2871 |
| 2015 | 38 | #3064 |
| 2014 | 39 | #2967 |
| 2013 | 46 | #2614 |
| 2012 | 39 | #2990 |
| 2011 | 30 | #3574 |
| 2010 | 42 | #2856 |
| 2009 | 34 | #3313 |
| 2008 | 38 | #3084 |
| 2007 | 37 | #3115 |
| 2006 | 37 | #3012 |
| 2005 | 31 | #3294 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Moussa a boy's or girl's name?
When was Moussa most popular?
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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1988–2024