Moustafa
A boy's name of Arabic origin with 351 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A surname.
Moustafa is a boy's baby name of Arabic origin, a variant spelling of Mustafa meaning 'the chosen one' or 'the selected.' It is one of the epithets of the Prophet Muhammad and remains one of the most common names across the Arab world, Turkey, and North Africa.
Egyptian president Mostafa El-Nahas and multiple Ottoman sultans bore this name, reflecting its association with leadership and divine favor across centuries of Islamic history.
EtymologyShow more
The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Moustafa's final sounds are open, warm — a soft ending that crosses many language boundaries. In English-language naming, masculine names frequently end on harder consonants or closed syllables, creating a sense of decisiveness and strength. Moustafa softens that pattern, giving it a more versatile feel.
Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Moustafa's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Moustafa was #8673 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #10533, but its charm endures.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 28 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 78 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 105 | — |
| 1990s | 112 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 28 | — |
The Story of Moustafa
A Gen Z name
Peaking in 1999, Moustafa is a name that defines a generation. Boys named Moustafa are most likely born between 1989 and 2009.
How rare is Moustafa?
Only about 1 in every 514,286 babies born in 2024 was named Moustafa — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1985, peaked in the 1990s with 112 births that decade, and has gracefully settled into a quieter chapter.
Moustafa by the numbers
- Would fill 7 school buses
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(37 years, 1985–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 7 | #10533 |
| 2023 | 6 | #11790 |
| 2021 | 7 | #10438 |
| 2020 | 8 | #9274 |
| 2019 | 8 | #9463 |
| 2018 | 10 | #7976 |
| 2017 | 8 | #9422 |
| 2016 | 7 | #10384 |
| 2015 | 8 | #9296 |
| 2014 | 8 | #9352 |
| 2013 | 14 | #6140 |
| 2011 | 5 | #13690 |
| 2010 | 10 | #7957 |
| 2009 | 9 | #8770 |
| 2008 | 8 | #9578 |
| 2007 | 9 | #8689 |
| 2006 | 12 | #6767 |
| 2005 | 14 | #5785 |
| 2004 | 8 | #8673 |
| 2003 | 10 | #7078 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Moustafa a boy's or girl's name?
When was Moustafa most popular?
How popular is the name Moustafa?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1985–2024