Tahir is an Arabic name meaning "pure", "clean" or virtuous, and purity is one of the qualities most praised in Islamic tradition. It is used from North Africa to Pakistan, where the poet and spiritual leader Tahir ul-Qadri is a familiar bearer. In the United States Tahir ranked number 2219 in 2000, climbed to its best position of number 1829 in 2023 and stands at number 2535 in 2025.