Rising since 1990, #4,249 for boys today.
Popularity of Hisham since 1970
Babies named Hisham per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 51 |
| 1980s | 116 |
| 1990s | 138 |
| 2000s | 222 |
| 2010s | 253 |
| 2020s | 146 |
Meaning & origin
Hisham is a name with deep roots in Arabic, reflecting the value of generosity. It saw a consistent rise in use from 1990 onward, and peaked in popularity in 2016 according to U.S. Social Security data. With a ranking of 4249th in 2025 and an incidence of 1 in 71,170 births, it remains a relatively rare but recognizable choice. The name's trajectory suggests a steady appreciation among families, though it has not yet broken into the top tiers of U.S. naming charts.
Derived from the Arabic root h-sh-m, meaning 'to crush' or 'to break,' but in the context of the noun form, it conveys generosity and munificence. The name is used throughout the Arabic-speaking world and was borne by several early Islamic figures, including a Umayyad caliph.
“Hisham” around the world
Where Hisham lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Quebec
5
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Hishi, Shami, Hish
Sibling names for Hisham
Names that share Hisham's style, for a brother or sister.
