The story behind Mustafa
From Arabic مُصْطَفَى (muṣṭafā, “the chosen one”).
Other language forms and explanations (2)
Turkish entry
Inherited from Ottoman Turkish مصطفی (mustafa), from Arabic مُصْطَفَى (muṣṭafā, “the chosen one”).
Azerbaijani entry
From Arabic مُصْطَفَى (muṣṭafā).
Pronunciation
US English (ARPAbet): M UW0 S T AA1 F AH0
Regional pronunciation variants
- Turkish: /mustaˈfa/
- Azerbaijani: [musdɑˈfɑ]
This is a US English dictionary reading of the spelling; personal pronunciations may differ. Digits mark stress: 0 is unstressed, 1 is primary, 2 is secondary. Pronunciation source and notation.
Popularity
Mustafa ranked #761 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Mustafa
Melika
Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish ملكه (melike, “queen”). Compare Turkish Melike, Persian ملکه (maleke), English Malika.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Milika
A variant of Melika.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Milouda
Borrowed from Arabic مِيلُودَة (mīlūda).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Muraina
a male given name from Arabic, equivalent to English Imran, alternative form of Múráínọ̀
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Mustafá
Borrowed from Arabic مُصْطَفَى (muṣṭafā). Borrowed from Arabic مُصْطَفَى (muṣṭafā).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends Á
- same syllable count
- similar length
Abdala
From Old Galician-Portuguese Abdalla, from Arabic عَبْدُ الله (ʕabdu llāh).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Mustafa
Bağır
From Arabic بَاقِر (bāqir).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends R
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Barack
Anglicized spelling, used by Luo speakers, of Barak, ostensibly as an Old Testament name. A cognate of the biblical Baruch.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends K
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Barak
From Hebrew בָּרָק (“lightning”). From Arabic بَارَك (bārak, “he who is blessed”). Cognate with the biblical name Baruch of Hebrew origin. The usage of the root ب ر ك (b r k)…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends K
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Mustafa
Aaliyah
Popularized by American singer Aaliyah Haughton (1979-2001). Transliteration of Arabic عَالِيَة (ʕāliya).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends H
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abacar
Borrowed from Arabic أَبُو بَكْر (ʔabū bakr, literally “father of a young camel; father of a person named Bakr”).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abbas
From Arabic عَبَّاس (ʕabbās, “one who frowns a lot; untamed lion”), from عَبَسَ (ʕabasa, “to frown”), the title of the eightieth sura of the Qur'an. From Arabic عَبَّاس (ʕabbās).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length