A Name Story by Houdhoud
طَارِق
Tariq
TAA-riq
“Night-comer; one who knocks; the piercing star.”
About Tariq
Tariq is a Muslim baby boy's name meaning "night-comer; one who knocks; the piercing star", an Arabic-Berber-Turkish name carried for centuries across the Muslim world.
From the Arabic root ط-ر-ق ('to knock'). Surah At-Tariq (86) opens with at-tariq, 'the night comer', which the next verses call 'the piercing star' (86:1–3). Borne by Tariq ibn Ziyad, the Berber commander.
Especially honored in North African and Berber families.
Spellings of Tariq
طَارِق is one name, written in Latin letters in more than one way. Every spelling below is the same name.
| Spelling | Births in England and Wales, 2025 | Births in France, 2016 to 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Tariqthe spelling used on this page | 36 | 125 |
| Tarek | Not listed | 260 |
| Tarik | 3 | 180 |
| Tarık | Not listed | Not listed |
Babies registered with exactly that spelling. England and Wales: Office for National Statistics, 2025 (the list covers names given to 3 or more babies). France: INSEE Fichier des prénoms, 2016 to 2025 added together (INSEE rounds each yearly count to the nearest 5).
Origin & roots
Origin
Arabic · Berber · Turkish
Gender
Boy
Root letters
In Arabic, root letters are the seed that gives a word its meaning. Every word built from them inherits that family of meaning, and Tariq is one such word.
In the Qur’an
Surah 86 : Ayah 1
وَالسَّمَاءِ وَالطَّارِقِ
“By the sky and the night comer -”
The root letters of Tariq live inside this verse, a quiet thread connecting the name to the words of revelation.
Across history
Who has carried Tariq before.
- Tariq ibn Ziyad (d. 720 CE), Berber commander; Gibraltar (Jabal Tariq) is named after him
How to say it
Stressed syllable in capitals
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Common questions about Tariq
- What does the name Tariq mean?
- Tariq (طَارِق) means "Night-comer; one who knocks; the piercing star". From the Arabic root ط-ر-ق ('to knock'). Surah At-Tariq (86) opens with at-tariq, 'the night comer', which the next verses call 'the piercing star' (86:1–3). Borne by Tariq ibn Ziyad, the Berber commander.
- Is Tariq a name from the Qur'an?
- Tariq shares its root letters with the Qur'an: the verse in Surah 86, Ayah 1 carries the same root. The verse is on this page with its English meaning.
- Is Tariq a boy or a girl name?
- Tariq is traditionally a boy's name.
- Where does the name Tariq come from?
- Tariq is an Arabic-Berber-Turkish name, built on the root letters Ṭ-R-Q. Especially honored in North African and Berber families.
Browse names like Tariq
Collections Tariq belongs to.
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