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Misbah
Pronounced MIS-bah /ˈmis.bɑh/Medium
Meaning: Arabic Misbah means 'lamp' — the vessel that holds a light. The word appears in the Quran's celebrated verse of light, where a lamp within a niche is a figure for divine guidance; families choose the name with that image of steady, sheltered light in mind. Used across the Arabic-speaking and South Asian Muslim world for both sexes.Medium
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
Misbah is the Arabic word for a lamp, and behind the name stands the Quran's famous verse of light, in which a lamp within a niche becomes a figure for divine guidance. It is used with warmth across the Arabic-speaking world and South Asia, for girls and boys alike; we note the shared use honestly. In the U.S. it reads as a rare, luminous heritage pick (said 'MIS-bah').
It appears only rarely for girls in the U.S. Rare, luminous, and rooted in a beloved image of light.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Misbah mean?
Misbah is Arabic for 'lamp; light' — the lamp that carries a flame, an image of guidance drawn from the Quran's verse of light.
How do you pronounce Misbah?
It's said MIS-bah /ˈmis.bɑh/ — two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Misbah a boy or girl name?
Misbah is used for both girls and boys in Arabic-speaking and South Asian communities. Here it is used as a girl's name, and we note the shared use.
How popular is Misbah?
Misbah is a rare name for girls in the U.S.