Holding steady, #5,608 for boys today.
Popularity of Mustapha since 1981
Babies named Mustapha per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 47 |
| 1990s | 152 |
| 2000s | 197 |
| 2010s | 169 |
| 2020s | 89 |
Meaning & origin
Mustapha is a transliteration of the Arabic Mustafa, a name deeply revered in Islam as an epithet of the Prophet Muhammad. In the United States, the name has been in consistent but modest use since the early 1980s, with its highest popularity in 2004, the peak year. As of 2025, it ranks 5608 and 1 in every 106,755 newborn boys receives the name. The spelling with 'ph' instead of 'f' is a French-influenced variant common in North African and Lebanese communities, reflecting the name's global reach. While not among the most popular names, Mustapha retains strong cultural significance and steady usage across decades.
Mustapha is a variant transliteration of Mustafa, an Arabic name derived from the root ṣ-f-w, meaning 'to choose, to select.' It is a common epithet of the Prophet Muhammad, meaning 'the Chosen One,' and has been widely used throughout the Islamic world. The spelling 'Mustapha' reflects French-influenced transliteration, common in North Africa and the Middle East, particularly in Morocco and Lebanon.
“Mustapha” around the world
Where Mustapha lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
25
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Moose, Tafa
Sibling names for Mustapha
Names that share Mustapha's style, for a brother or sister.
