Hussein means handsome or good — from the Arabic, the diminutive of Hasan. Hussein ibn Ali IS one of the most important figures in Islam — the Prophet's grandson who was martyred at Karbala. The Battle of Karbala IS the most defining moment in Shia Islam. Two syllables of the Prophet's-grandson, martyred-at-Karbala, and the most defining moment in Shia Islam.
Hussein IS the Prophet's grandson — most important.
He was martyred at Karbala.
The most defining moment in Shia Islam.
Two syllables with a sacred, Arabic sound: hoo-SAYN.
The meaning handsome IS aspirationally good.
◎
The vibe of Hussein
handsomegoodArabicHasanHussein ibn AliProphet's grandsonmartyredKarbalaShiadefining
◎
Origin & history of Hussein
Arabic husayn (diminutive of hasan, handsome)→Hussein
1
Arabic roots
Hussein IS the Prophet's grandson — martyred at Karbala. The most defining moment in Shia Islam.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Arabic; Hussein ibn Ali (626–680 AD).
3
Today
Hussein remains a beloved choice, ranking #1600 in the US. 3,320 babies have been named Hussein since 1967.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, Islamic tradition, SSA data
◆
How popular is Hussein?
2015peak year
Hussein reached its widest reach during the 2010s. In 2015, 135 babies received the name (ranked #1311). In the present decade it sits well outside the top 1,000 (around #1600), with about 106 babies given the name annually. Hussein's usage has held roughly steady recently. The all-time total comes to roughly 3,320 registrations.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
Hussein's Life Path 9 is the humanitarian's number — Karbala humanitarianism. People named Hussein tend to be sacred, handsome, and gifted at being the Prophet's grandson martyred for truth.
Every name has a homeland. Discover strong boy names rooted in cultures from around the world — each with full meanings, origin stories and pronunciation.