Boy name
Tarek name meaning
“night visitor; one who knocks”
Tarek means night visitor or one who knocks. It is a rendering of the Arabic name tariq, corresponding to Tarık in Turkish. In Türkiye, it is a masculine name. Its direct image is a visitor arriving at a door after dark. A historical association is the commander Tariq ibn Ziyad.
What does Tarek mean?
Night visitor; one who knocks
In Turkish: gece gelen; kapıyı çalan
In the Quranic chapter At-Tariq, the word appears in connection with a star visible at night. Its basic lexical meaning concerns a visitor arriving after dark. The historical commander Tariq ibn Ziyad is another association. Tarek, Tarık and Tariq represent different spellings of the same Arabic name.
Origin of the name Tarek
Tarek is a rendering of Arabic ṭāriq, corresponding to Turkish Tarık. The word means someone who knocks or arrives by night.
| Linguistic origin | Arabic |
|---|---|
| Naming tradition | Islamic |
| In Islamic history | Names found in the Quran |
| Is Tarek in the Quran? | Yes, as a name · والطارق · 86:1Tarek corresponds to Arabic Tariq, the name of a Quranic sura; the same word appears in its opening verse. |
| Starts with | T · Ta |
Names are shared across communities. Where a name is common says nothing certain about any one person’s background, faith or origin.
How to pronounce Tarek
| Syllables | 2 · 5 letters · 5-letter boy names |
|---|---|
| Arabic | طارق |
Is Tarek a boy’s name?
Yes, Tarek is used mostly as a boy’s name. See all boy names.
Tarek does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025). In our sample of notable people (Wikidata), 1 people bear it; this is not a national figure.
Spellings and similar names
Names that sound like Tarek
- Tarık♂Night visitor
- Tamer♂A complete, fully accomplished man
- Taner♂Man of the dawn
- Türk♂The name and identity term Turk
- Tanık♂A witness
- Tardu♂Name of the Göktürk ruler Tardu Khagan
- Törel♂Relating to custom
- Tamerk♂Complete power or authority
- Tanbek♂Lord of dawn
- Tanerk♂A name combining dawn and power
- Taney♂
- Tarab♂♀Exultant joy
Names with related meanings
- Tarık♂Night visitor
- Uzay♂The vast expanse containing celestial bodies
- Necmettin♂Star of the faith
- Süreyya♂♀The Pleiades star cluster
- Necmi♂Of a star
- Süha♂Alcor, the faint star in Ursa Major
- Ülker♂♀The Pleiades star cluster in Taurus
- Süheyl♂Canopus, a bright southern star
- Şahap♂Bright flame
- Sakıp♂Piercing
- Necmeddin♂Star of the faith
- Şahabettin♂Bright star or light of the faith
FAQ about the name Tarek
What is the meaning of Tarek?
Tarek means “night visitor; one who knocks”. Tarek is a rendering of Arabic ṭāriq, corresponding to Turkish Tarık. The word means someone who knocks or arrives by night.
Is Tarek a boy’s name?
Yes, Tarek is used mostly as a boy’s name.
Is Tarek in the Quran?
Yes, as a name. Tarek corresponds to Arabic Tariq, the name of a Quranic sura; the same word appears in its opening verse. (e.g.: 86:1)
What is the origin of the name Tarek?
Tarek is of Arabic origin.
How many syllables does Tarek have?
Tarek has 2 syllables and 5 letters.
How popular is the name Tarek?
Tarek does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025). In our sample of notable people (Wikidata), 1 people bear it; this is not a national figure.
Sources and method
Meanings and origins draw on language sources and name dictionaries; popularity figures come from TÜİK’s address-based population register, and notable people from Wikidata.
Entry ID: nm14180 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake