What does Karim mean?
Karim means “generous” or “noble”; al-Karim is one of the names of God.
What does Mustafa mean?
Mustafa means “the chosen one,” an epithet of the Prophet Muhammad.
Karim vs Mustafa
Which is more popular?
Mustafa is more popular than Karim today: about 339 US babies were given the name Mustafa in 2025, compared with 198 named Karim.
| Karim | Mustafa | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Generous, noble | The chosen one |
| Origin | Arabic | Arabic |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | kah-REEM | MUS-tah-fah |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1957 | 1963 |
| Peak year | 2023 (376) | 2025 (339) |
| In 2025 | 198 | 339 |
| Trend | Rising | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Karim
Mustafa
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Karim | Mustafa |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,613 | 1,636 |
| 2010s | 1,771 | 2,243 |
| 2000s | 1,242 | 1,605 |
| 1990s | 831 | 1,016 |
| 1980s | 646 | 633 |
| 1970s | 626 | 219 |
| 1960s | 132 | 21 |
| 1950s | 25 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Karim or Mustafa more popular?
Mustafa is more popular than Karim today: about 339 US babies were given the name Mustafa in 2025, compared with 198 named Karim.
What is the difference between Karim and Mustafa?
Karim means Generous, noble (Arabic origin), while Mustafa means The chosen one (Arabic origin).
Which name is older, Karim or Mustafa?
In US records, Karim first appears in 1957 and Mustafa in 1963, so Karim has the longer recorded history.