How to say it
O · mar
ˈoʊ.mɑr
Masculine
Omar
Flourishing, long-lived
What it means
Arabic ʿUmar, tied to a root for life and flourishing. A separate Hebrew Omar ('speaker') appears in Genesis.
Omar is most familiar as the Arabic ʿUmar, linked to a root meaning 'life' or 'flourishing,' and carried by Umar, the second caliph, which makes it one of the most common names across the Muslim world. An unrelated Hebrew Omar appears in the Book of Genesis. Westerners met it through the Persian poet-mathematician Omar Khayyám and his Rubáiyát. It has held steady US use for decades, strong in both Arab and Latino communities.
How to spell Omar
The standard spelling is Omar. Common variants include Umar, Omer, but Omar is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #131 in 2006, currently #260 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
Umar is the closer transliteration of the Arabic; Omer is the common Turkish and Hebrew spelling.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Omar Khayyám Persian polymath and poet of the Rubáiyát
- Omar Sharif Egyptian actor (Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago)
- Omar Little the shotgun-toting stickup man of The Wire
Spelling variants
- Umar
- Omer
Names with the same feeling
See Omar from another angle
By meaning
Common questions
- What does the name Omar mean?
- Arabic ʿUmar, tied to a root for life and flourishing. A separate Hebrew Omar ('speaker') appears in Genesis.
- What does Omar mean in Arabic?
- In Arabic, Omar means "Flourishing, long-lived." Omar is most familiar as the Arabic ʿUmar, linked to a root meaning 'life' or 'flourishing,' and carried by Umar, the second caliph, which makes it one of the most common names across the Muslim world. An unrelated Hebrew Omar appears in the Book of Genesis. Westerners met it through the Persian poet-mathematician Omar Khayyám and his Rubáiyát. It has held steady US use for decades, strong in both Arab and Latino communities.
- How do you pronounce Omar?
- Omar is pronounced ˈoʊ.mɑr. Say it as O-mar, with the stress on the "o" syllable.
- How do you spell Omar?
- The standard spelling is Omar. Common spelling variants include Umar, Omer.
- Is Omar a boy or girl name?
- Omar is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Omar?
- Omar ranked #260 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.