UK boy's name
Adeel
An Arabic masculine name meaning "just" or "righteous".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Adeel is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Adeel popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3688, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 47 births.
This profile covers 569 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 11% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 596 living people in the UK are called Adeel. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Adeel ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1997, when 47 boys were registered as Adeel.
- • Adeel ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #429 in 2000.
- • About 596 living people in the UK are estimated to have Adeel as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3688
2024
Births in 2024
5
Latest year
Peak year
1997
47 births
Estimated living
596
2026
Meaning
What does Adeel mean?
The name Adeel is of Arabic origin and is derived from the word "adl," which means justice or fairness. It is believed to have been in use since the early days of Islam, around the 7th century AD, when the Arabic language and culture spread across the Middle East and parts of North Africa.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Adeel can be found in ancient Arabic literature and poetry. Some scholars suggest that the name might have been used by early Islamic scholars and thinkers, although there is no definitive evidence to support this claim.
In the 10th century, an Arabic scholar and philosopher named Adeel ibn Yahya al-Basri lived in present-day Iraq. He was known for his contributions to the fields of logic and metaphysics. Another notable figure with the name Adeel was Adeel al-Deen al-Ijji, a 12th-century Islamic philosopher and logician from Iran.
During the medieval period, the name Adeel gained popularity among Muslim communities across the Middle East and Central Asia. It was often given to children in the hope that they would grow up to embody the values of justice and fairness.
One of the most famous historical figures with the name Adeel was Adeel Shah, the ruler of the Mughal Empire in India from 1627 to 1628. He was known for his short but eventful reign, during which he faced numerous challenges and upheavals.
In the 19th century, Adeel ibn Ruzaik was a renowned Arab poet and scholar from present-day Saudi Arabia. He was celebrated for his contributions to Arabic literature and his mastery of the Arabic language.
Another notable figure with the name Adeel was Adeel Aurangabadkar, an Indian freedom fighter and social reformer who lived in the early 20th century. He played a significant role in the Indian independence movement and fought against social injustices.
Over time, the name Adeel has spread to various parts of the world, particularly in Muslim communities, and has been adopted by people of different backgrounds and cultures. While its popularity may have fluctuated throughout history, it continues to be a respected and admired name, carrying the connotations of justice, fairness, and righteousness.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Adeel over time
The chart below shows babies named Adeel registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Adeel, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 47 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Adeel by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Adeel was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3007 | 34 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2201 | 103 | 10 |
| 2000s | #865 | 276 | 10 |
| 1990s | #496 | 156 | 4 |
Geography
Where Adeel is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Adeel. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Adeel ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #429 in 2000.
Across the UK
Adeel in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#429 in 2000
9 years of NRS records, 33 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Adeel
-
Adeel Akhtar
actor; stage actor; television actor
British actor
1980-
Related
Names similar to Adeel
- Alfie 86,546
- Alexander 85,525
- Adam 71,855
- Archie 59,965
- Arthur 43,586
- Aaron 36,366
- Alex 32,729
- Andrew 20,169
- Arlo 19,061
- Aidan 16,776
- Albie 16,017
- Albert 15,809
FAQ
Adeel: questions and answers
How popular is the name Adeel in the UK right now?
In 2024, Adeel was ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Adeel most popular?
The peak year on record was 1997, with 47 babies registered as Adeel in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Adeel?
An Arabic masculine name meaning "just" or "righteous".
How many people are called Adeel in the UK?
A total of 569 babies have been registered as Adeel across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 33 more in Scotland.
Where is Adeel most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Adeel ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #429 in 2000. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.