Rising since 1990, #3,089 for boys today.
Popularity of Moussa since 1988
Babies named Moussa per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2013, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Moussa's real moment was 2023.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 8 |
| 1990s | 123 |
| 2000s | 340 |
| 2010s | 403 |
| 2020s | 222 |
Meaning & origin
Moussa is the French-influenced spelling of Musa, the Arabic form of Moses, a name borne by a major prophet in Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. In the United States, the name first appeared in Social Security records in 1988 and has been on a rising trend since around 1990. By 2025, it ranked 3089th nationally, with a peak in popularity in 2023. The name is most common in New York and Ohio, reflecting communities with West African or North African heritage. Its steady growth mirrors broader interest in names with strong religious and cross-cultural resonance.
Moussa is the French transcription of the Arabic name Musa, which itself derives from the Arabic root for water. Musa is the Arabic name for the biblical prophet Moses, who was drawn from the Nile. The name has been widely used across the Arabic-speaking world and among Muslim communities, often spelled Moussa in French-influenced regions like North and West Africa.
Where Moussa is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Moussa” around the world
Where Moussa lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
515
babies in 2024
Quebec
14
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Mou, Mouss
Sibling names for Moussa
Names that share Moussa's style, for a brother or sister.
