What Is the Origin of the Name Barack?
Until recently, the name "Barack" was little known in Western culture, as many people born with foreign-sounding names tend to drop their exotic monikers or Anglicize them to make them more palatable to Western ears.
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Significance
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But, with the election of the first black United States president who goes by the name Barack Hussein Obama, it has become important for people to understand this name, as it could give clues to his origins, and, conceivably, how he may act because of his origins.
Origins
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"Barack" is a name that originated on the African continent. It is known to be Swahili, but is also attributed to Arabic and Hebrew origins.
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Definitions
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There are differing definitions of the name Barack. Popular baby naming website babynames.com defines "Barack" as "blessed," related to the Hebrew word "baruch." Meanwhile, another parenting website, parent.com defines "Barack" as "lightning," after a biblical figure named Barak, who, with Deborah, a Hebrew prophetess, defeated the Canaanite armies in the Hebrew Book of Judges.
Theories/Speculation
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The name "Barack" has also been linked to the horse that carried the prophet Muhammad to heaven, possibly because of the word for horse which is pronounced "burak."
Famous Ties
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Aside from the 44th president of the United States, the name "Barack" in other forms also belongs to other world leaders like Ehud Barak, former Israeli prime minister, and Hosni Mubarak, president of Egypt.
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