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