The word is derived from the Arabic verb (Arabic: طرق, ṭaraqa) meaning to strike, and into the agentive form (Arabic: طارق, ṭāriq) meaning striker.
It started to get used as a name after Tariq ibn-Ziyad, a military Berber leader who conquered Iberia (Spain and Portugal) in 711 AD.
Ṭariq is used in classical Arabic for the one who travels at night time —a night visitor— as the bedouin Arabs normally found it that a traveler from long distances would usually arrive at night avoiding the scorching heat.
It refers to someone who comes in the middle of the night and knocks on the door. The linguistic idea behind it being: the coming at night, and the calling to attention or surprise.
In Arabic literature, the use of the word appears in several places including most-notably the Qur'an, where ṭāriq referred to the brilliant stars at night in (At-Tariq, verse 1). Stars can be eloquently referred to as Tariqs because they come out at night, and it is the common understanding of the word nowadays due to the Qur'an.
We can also find it in many poems. For example, from the famous poets Imru' al-Qais and Jarir ibn Atiyah.
Tarec Saffiedine, Belgian martial artistTarééc, German singer of Lebanese-Palestinian origin (real name Tarek Hussein)Tarek Al Ali (born 1986), Lebanese footballerTarek Al Eryan (born 1963), Palestinian-American film directorTarek Al-Wazir (born 1971), German politicianTarek Ali Abdullah Ahmed Baada (born 1976), Yemeni extrajudicial prisoner of the United StatesTarek Ali Hassan (born 1937), Egyptian writerTarek Amer (born 1989), Egyptian football playerTarek bin Laden (born 1947), Saudi Arabian businesspersonTarek Boukensa (born 1981), Algerian runnerTarek Dergoul (born 1977), British extrajudicial prisoner of the United StatesTarek El-Said (born 1978), Egyptian football playerTarek El-Telmissany (born 1950), Egyptian cinematographerTarek Elrich (born 1987), Australian football playerTarek Elsetouhi, Egyptian bodybuilderTarek Fatah (born 1949), Canadian political activistTarek Hadj Adlane (born 1965), Algerian football playerTarek Heggy (born 1950), Egyptian writerTarek Jabban (born 1975), Syrian football playerTarek Kamel, Egyptian politicianTarek Lazizi (born 1971), Algerian football playerTarek Madkour (born 1967), Egyptian engineerTarek Mostafa (born 1971), Egyptian football playerTarek Saab, Lebanese-Venezuelan politicianTarek Shahin (born 1982), Egyptian cartoonistTarek Shawki (born 1957), Egyptian engineerTarek Thabet (born 1971), Tunisian football playerTarek Wegner, American musician and member of Night BeatsTarek Yehia (born 1961), Egyptian football playerTarek El Moussa (born 1982), American TV hostTarek Ihaddaden (born 2000)Tarick Salmaci, boxer who featured on the TV show The ContenderTarık Akan, Turkish film actorTarık Akıltopu, Turkish architectTarik Black, NBA playerTarik Cerić, Bosnian footballerTarık Daşgün, Turkish footballerTarik Elyounoussi (born 1988), Norwegian football playerTarik Ergin, actor who played the part of Lieutenant Ayala in Star Trek: VoyagerTarik Filipović, Bosnian actorTarik Glenn, American football offensive tackle playing for the Indianapolis ColtsTarık Göçmen (born 1975), Turkish ice hockey coachTarik "Rvssian" Johnston, Jamaican music producerTarik O'Regan, British composer living in New York City, USATarik Samarah, Bosnian photographer who works in artistic and documentary photographyTarik Sektioui, Moroccan footballerTarik Sulayman, Muslim Filipino military leader.Lord Tariq, rap artist who had collaborations with Peter GunzTareq Abboushi, Palestinian-American musician and composerTareq Al-Suwaidan, Kuwaiti intellectual, entrepreneur, Islamic scholar and reformerTariq Abdul-Wahad, French NBA basketball player formerly known as Olivier Saint-JeanTariq Ali, a British-Pakistani writer and film-makerTariq Anwar (film editor), a film editorTariq Anwar (politician), an Indian politicianTariq Aziz, former Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq under Saddam HusseinTariq Hanna, famous pastry chef featured on Food NetworkTariq Hussain (musician), Canadian musicianTariq Jakobsen, Danish graphic design personalityTariq Jameel, Pakistani Islamic scholar with Tablighi JamaatTariq Ramadan, Swiss academic and Islamic theologianTariq Sims, Australian NRL playerTariq Trotter, lead artist from the rap group The RootsTariq ibn-Ziyad, one of the Berber conquerors of the Iberian Peninsula in 711Kashmala Tariq, Pakistani politicianShahbaz Tariq, Norwegian politicianTariq Bhat, Indian film directorTariq, a character played by Kaysar Miah in the British web series Corner Shop Show.Gibraltar is the Spanish derivation of the Arabic name Jabal Aṭtāriq (جبل طارق), meaning "Mountain of Tariq".