NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Alim

An Arabic name meaning "knowledgeable" or "learned".

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.

Alim is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Alim popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2921, with 7 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 11 births.

This profile covers 159 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 64% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 158 living people in the UK are called Alim. 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

  • Alim ranked #2921 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 7 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2010, when 11 boys were registered as Alim.
  • About 158 living people in the UK are estimated to have Alim as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2921

2024

Births in 2024

7

Latest year

Peak year

2010

11 births

Estimated living

158

2026

Meaning

What does Alim mean?

The name Alim is derived from the Arabic word 'alim', which means 'learned' or 'knowledgeable'. It has its origins in the Arabic language and culture, and can be traced back to the 7th century CE, during the time of the Islamic Golden Age.

The name Alim is found in various Islamic texts and historical records. It is mentioned in the Quran, the holy book of Islam, which refers to individuals who possess knowledge and wisdom as 'ulama' (plural of 'alim'). The name has been associated with scholars, philosophers, and religious leaders throughout Islamic history.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alim can be found in the works of renowned Muslim scholars such as Imam Al-Ghazali (1058-1111 CE), a renowned philosopher, theologian, and jurist. Another notable figure bearing the name Alim was Alim Khan (1668-1719), a ruler of the Mughal Empire in India.

In the 13th century, Alim al-Din Juvaini (1226-1283) was a Persian historian and governor who served under the Mongol Empire. His seminal work, 'Tarikh-e Jahan-Gusha' (The History of the World Conqueror), provides valuable insights into the Mongol conquests and the political landscape of that era.

During the Ottoman Empire, Alim Mustafa Pasha (1514-1586) was a grand vizier and accomplished military commander who played a significant role in the Ottoman expansion into Europe.

In more recent times, Alim Qasimov (1957-present) is a renowned Azerbaijani mugham singer and composer, widely regarded as a living legend in the preservation and promotion of traditional Azerbaijani music.

These are just a few examples of historical figures who have borne the name Alim, a name that has been associated with knowledge, wisdom, and scholarly pursuits throughout the centuries across various cultures and regions influenced by the Arabic language and Islamic traditions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Alim over time

The chart below shows babies named Alim 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 Alim, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 7 births in 2024, compared with 11 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Alim
036811199620102024

Decades

Alim by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Alim 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 #3399 22 4
2010s #3189 60 10
2000s #2511 58 10
1990s #1972 19 3

Related

Names similar to Alim

FAQ

Alim: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Alim was ranked #2921 for boys in England and Wales, with 7 births registered.

When was Alim most popular?

The peak year on record was 2010, with 11 babies registered as Alim in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Alim?

An Arabic name meaning "knowledgeable" or "learned".

How many people are called Alim in the UK?

A total of 159 babies have been registered as Alim 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.