NameCensus.

UK name, mostly girls

Anam

A feminine Arabic name meaning "blessings" or "bountiful gifts".

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.

Anam is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Anam popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1449, with 22 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2002, with 35 births.

This profile covers 652 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 63% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 665 living people in the UK are called Anam. 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

  • Anam ranked #1449 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 22 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2002, when 35 girls were registered as Anam.
  • Anam ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #687 in 2005.
  • About 665 living people in the UK are estimated to have Anam as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 99.1% of Anam registrations are for girls.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1449

2024

Births in 2024

22

Latest year

Peak year

2002

35 births

Estimated living

665

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Anam

In England and Wales birth records, Anam has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 0.9% of registrations are for boys and 99.1% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

99% girls
Boys6 (0.9%)Girls652 (99.1%)

Anam registered for boys

  • Ranked #3,651 in 2004
  • 3 boys registered in 2004
  • Peak: 2001 (3 births)

Anam registered for girls

  • Ranked #1,449 in 2024
  • 22 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2002 (35 births)

Meaning

What does Anam mean?

The name Anam has its origins in the Arabic language and is derived from the word "an'am," which means "blessing" or "grace." It is a Muslim name that gained popularity in the Middle East and other regions with significant Islamic influence.

The name Anam can be traced back to the 7th century CE, when the Islamic faith began to spread across the Arabian Peninsula and beyond. It is believed to have first appeared in religious texts and historical records from that era, although its exact origins are somewhat uncertain.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name Anam was a renowned Islamic scholar and poet who lived in the 9th century CE. Anam ibn Malik al-Qadi was a celebrated literary figure in the Abbasid court of Baghdad, known for his contributions to Arabic poetry and literature.

In the 12th century, another notable figure named Anam al-Kindi emerged as a prominent philosopher and scientist. He made significant contributions to the fields of optics and physics, and his works were widely studied and respected throughout the Islamic world.

During the Ottoman Empire, which lasted from the 13th to the 20th century, the name Anam became more widespread. One notable bearer was Anam Bey, a high-ranking Ottoman official who served as the governor of various provinces in the 16th century.

In the literary realm, Anam al-Mughni was a renowned poet and writer who lived in the 18th century. His works were highly regarded and influential in Arabic literature, and he is considered one of the most prominent figures in the Nahda, the Arabic literary renaissance.

Another notable figure with the name Anam was Anam al-Jundi, a Syrian feminist and activist who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was a pioneering figure in the women's rights movement in the Arab world and fought tirelessly for gender equality and social reform.

While the name Anam has its roots in the Islamic tradition, it has been adopted by people of various cultural backgrounds and religions over the centuries. Its meaning of "blessing" or "grace" has resonated across diverse communities, making it a timeless and enduring name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Anam over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Anam in England and Wales, 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 Anam, the clearest high point is 2002. The latest England and Wales figure is 22 births in 2024, compared with 35 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
09182635199620102024

Decades

Anam by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Anam 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 #1619 93 5
2010s #1448 219 10
2000s #1169 235 10
1990s #844 105 4

Geography

Where Anam is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Anam. 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.

Anam ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #687 in 2005.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Anam in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#687 in 2005

4 years of NRS records, 17 total registered

Related

Names similar to Anam

FAQ

Anam: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Anam was ranked #1449 for girls in England and Wales, with 22 births registered.

When was Anam most popular?

The peak year on record was 2002, with 35 babies registered as Anam in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Anam?

A feminine Arabic name meaning "blessings" or "bountiful gifts".

How many people are called Anam in the UK?

A total of 652 babies have been registered as Anam across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 17 more in Scotland.

Where is Anam most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Anam ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #687 in 2005. 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.