Shaikh
Arabic · Boy · 1 syllable
Popularity & facts
Relative popularity index, 2010–2025Popularity over time
Popularity indexHistorical popularity from 1880–2025 · US Social Security Administration data
About the name Shaikh
The name 'Shaikh' (also spelled Sheikh) means "elder," "chief," or "leader" in Arabic, derived from the triliteral root *shīn-khā'-lām* (ش-ي-خ) connoting old age and authority.
Cross-referenced with Behind the Name and Wikidata/Wikipedia. AI-assisted, community-reviewable. Suggest an improvement.
Etymology
The name 'Shaikh' (also spelled Sheikh) means "elder," "chief," or "leader" in Arabic, derived from the triliteral root *shīn-khā'-lām* (ش-ي-خ) connoting old age and authority. It is used across Islamic cultures (Arab, Persian, South Asian, African) and historically denoted a tribal chieftain, religious scholar, or Sufi master, with the title gaining prominence in pre-Islamic Arabia and later Islamic governance.
Shaikh currently ranks #13,928 in the United States as a boy's name. It reached its peak popularity around 2001.
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Sibling name ideas
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