NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Adnaan

A masculine Arabic name meaning "wanderer" or "the visitor".

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.

Adnaan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Adnaan 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 2000, with 23 births.

This profile covers 257 England and Wales registrations across 27 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 22% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 255 living people in the UK are called Adnaan. 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

  • Adnaan ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2000, when 23 boys were registered as Adnaan.
  • About 255 living people in the UK are estimated to have Adnaan 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

2000

23 births

Estimated living

255

2026

Meaning

What does Adnaan mean?

The name Adnaan is of Arabic origin, derived from the root word "dana," which means "to be near or close." It is believed to have originated in the Middle East during the rise of Islam in the 7th century AD.

One of the earliest known references to the name Adnaan can be found in Islamic literature and genealogical records, where it is mentioned as the name of an ancestor of the Prophet Muhammad. According to Islamic tradition, Adnaan was a descendant of Ishmael, the son of the prophet Abraham.

In the centuries following the birth of Islam, the name Adnaan gained popularity among Arab communities and began to spread to various regions of the Middle East and North Africa. It was particularly common in areas with strong Islamic cultural influences, such as modern-day Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Syria.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Adnaan. One of the earliest was Adnaan ibn Yazid (680-699 AD), a member of the Umayyad dynasty who briefly served as the governor of Khurasan, a historical region in modern-day Iran and Central Asia.

Another prominent individual was Adnaan al-Janabi (1188-1285 AD), a renowned Arab poet and scholar from Baghdad, who was celebrated for his contributions to Arabic literature and his mastery of various poetic forms.

In the 14th century, Adnaan ibn Ali al-Nabulsi (1300-1390 AD) was a celebrated Islamic scholar and jurist from Damascus, known for his expertise in Sharia law and his influential writings on Islamic jurisprudence.

During the Ottoman era, Adnaan Pasha (1828-1899) was a prominent military leader and statesman who served as the governor of several provinces in the Ottoman Empire, including Baghdad and Damascus.

In more recent times, Adnaan Badri (1923-2019) was a renowned Egyptian poet and writer, whose works explored themes of love, nationalism, and social justice, earning him widespread acclaim and numerous literary awards.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Adnaan, reflecting its enduring presence and significance across various cultural and historical contexts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Adnaan over time

The chart below shows babies named Adnaan 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 Adnaan, the clearest high point is 2000. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 23 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Adnaan
06121723199620102024

Decades

Adnaan by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Adnaan 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 #4573 17 5
2010s #3744 39 8
2000s #1574 143 10
1990s #989 58 4

Related

Names similar to Adnaan

FAQ

Adnaan: questions and answers

How popular is the name Adnaan in the UK right now?

In 2024, Adnaan was ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.

When was Adnaan most popular?

The peak year on record was 2000, with 23 babies registered as Adnaan in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Adnaan?

A masculine Arabic name meaning "wanderer" or "the visitor".

How many people are called Adnaan in the UK?

A total of 257 babies have been registered as Adnaan across the 27 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

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.