Hanif

♂ Boy

Pronounced hah-NEEF /hɑˈnif/Medium

Meaning: From Arabic hanif, 'a true believer; upright, devout; one of pure faith' (a pre-Islamic monotheist, like Abraham)Medium

In 30 seconds: A true believer; upright: Hanif is Arabic for 'a true believer; upright, devout'. Warm, classic, and crisp (said 'hah-NEEF').

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Origin MediumArabic

MeaningFrom Arabic hanif, 'a true believer; upright, devout; one of pure faith' (a pre-Islamic monotheist, like Abraham)

U.S. rank (2025)#9205 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births8 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2004

Total births (all-time)≈ 783

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Hanif comes from Arabic hanif, 'a true believer; upright, devout; one of pure, original monotheistic faith' (the hanifs were pre-Islamic seekers of the one God, in the way of Abraham). A warm, classic name across the Muslim world (said 'hah-NEEF'; nickname Hani).

In the U.S. it appears in Muslim families. Rare, a-true-believer-and-upright at the root, and classic.

Did you know? Hanif means 'a true believer; upright, devout; one of pure, original faith' in Arabic (the hanifs were pre-Islamic monotheists, like Abraham) — a warm, classic name (said 'hah-NEEF').

Overall data confidence 72%

Arabic references — hanif — etymology

Variations

HaneefHanief

Nicknames

Hani

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Hanif…

Kareem— a companion Arabic virtue boys' name

Rashid— a kin 'rightly-guided' Arabic boys' name

Nadeem— another classic Arabic boys' name

Yousif— lands in the same popularity range

Khalif— a fellow Arabic choice

Explore names like Hanif

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Hanif mean?

Hanif is Arabic for 'a true believer; upright, devout; one of pure faith'.

How do you pronounce Hanif?

It's said hah-NEEF /hɑˈnif/ — two syllables, stress on the second.

Is Hanif a boy or girl name?

Hanif is a boy's name.

How popular is Hanif?

Hanif is a rare name in the U.S.