Tarek

♂ Boy

Pronounced TAH-rek /ˈtɑ.rɛk/Medium

Meaning: Spelling of Tariq — Arabic, 'the night visitor, the morning star; one who knocks at the door'High

In 30 seconds: The morning star: Tarek spells Tariq — Arabic 'the one who knocks by night, the morning star' — borne by the conqueror of Gibraltar. Celestial and storied.

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Origin HighArabic

MeaningSpelling of Tariq — Arabic, 'the night visitor, the morning star; one who knocks at the door'

U.S. rank (2025)#4687 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births22 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1996

Total births (all-time)≈ 2,278

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

Tarek is a spelling of Tariq — Arabic, 'the night visitor, the morning star' (Surah At-Tariq), 'one who knocks at the door'. Borne by the general Tariq ibn Ziyad (namesake of Gibraltar), it's celestial and storied.

In the U.S. it appears in Arab families. Rare, morning-star at the root, and storied.

Did you know? Gibraltar is named for the conqueror Tariq ibn Ziyad — 'Jabal Tariq', Tariq's mountain; the name means 'morning star, one who knocks at night'.

Overall data confidence 82%

Behind the Name — Tariq — root etymology

Variations

TariqTarikTareq

Nicknames

Tar

Famous Bearers

★Tarek El Moussa (1981-)
American real estate investor and TV host known for the HGTV show Flip or Flop
★Tarek Fatah (1949-2023)
Pakistani-Canadian journalist, author, and political commentator
★Tarek Boudali (1982-)
French actor and filmmaker known for popular French comedy films

If you like Tarek…

Tariq— the standard transliteration

Tarik— a fellow spelling

Kareem— another noble Arabic name

Tyreek— a similarly popular pick

Malek— lands in the same popularity range

Explore names like Tarek

By themearabic celestial

By meaningStar Dawn / Morning

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Tarek mean?

Tarek spells Tariq, Arabic for 'the night visitor, the morning star'.

How do you pronounce Tarek?

It's said TAH-rek /ˈtɑ.rɛk/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Tarek a boy or girl name?

Tarek is a boy's name.

How popular is Tarek?

Tarek is a rare name in the U.S.