UK boy's name
Anas
A masculine Arabic name derived from the root word "anas" meaning "intimacy" or "familiarity".
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.
Anas is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Anas popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #318, with 137 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 145 births.
This profile covers 2,276 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 94% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 2,318 living people in the UK are called Anas. 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
- • Anas ranked #318 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 137 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2022, when 145 boys were registered as Anas.
- • Anas ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #435 in 2023.
- • About 2,318 living people in the UK are estimated to have Anas as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#318
2024
Births in 2024
137
Latest year
Peak year
2022
145 births
Estimated living
2,318
2026
Meaning
What does Anas mean?
The name Anas originated from the Arabic language and has its roots traced back to the ancient Semitic civilizations in the Middle East. It is derived from the Arabic word "anasa," which means "to be friendly, sociable, or intimate." The name carries a connotation of warmth, companionship, and amicability.
In Islamic tradition, Anas ibn Malik was a prominent companion of the Prophet Muhammad and is revered as one of the most trusted sources of hadith (accounts depicting the words and actions of the Prophet). He was born around 612 CE in Medina and lived until approximately 712 CE, serving as a significant figure in the early days of Islam.
The name Anas has also been associated with various historical figures and scholars across different cultures and time periods. In the 9th century, Anas ibn Malik al-Qadi was a renowned Muslim judge and scholar from Baghdad, known for his expertise in jurisprudence and Arabic literature.
Another notable figure bearing the name Anas was Anas al-Shami, a 13th-century Muslim scholar and poet from Damascus, who was renowned for his contributions to Arabic literature and his mastery of the Arabic language.
In the realm of science, Anas ibn Malik al-Qurashi was a 10th-century Muslim astronomer and mathematician from Cordoba, Spain. He made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and was considered a pioneer in the development of astronomical instruments.
Anas Malik was a prominent Pakistani poet and writer of the 20th century, born in 1923. He was known for his extensive literary works, including poetry collections and novels that explored themes of love, spirituality, and societal issues.
Anas Nader is a contemporary Lebanese-American journalist and author, born in 1959. He has worked for various international news organizations and has written extensively on Middle Eastern affairs, contributing to a deeper understanding of the region's complexities.
While the name Anas has its origins in the Arabic language and Islamic culture, it has gained popularity across various regions and communities around the world, transcending cultural boundaries and embracing its positive connotations of friendliness and sociability.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Anas over time
The chart below shows babies named Anas 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 Anas, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 137 births in 2024, compared with 145 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Anas by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Anas 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 | #368 | 588 | 5 |
| 2010s | #441 | 912 | 10 |
| 2000s | #439 | 680 | 10 |
| 1990s | #745 | 96 | 4 |
Geography
Where Anas is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Anas. 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.
Anas ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #435 in 2023.
Across the UK
Anas in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#435 in 2023
13 years of NRS records, 57 total registered
Related
Names similar to Anas
- 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
Anas: questions and answers
How popular is the name Anas in the UK right now?
In 2024, Anas was ranked #318 for boys in England and Wales, with 137 births registered.
When was Anas most popular?
The peak year on record was 2022, with 145 babies registered as Anas in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Anas?
A masculine Arabic name derived from the root word "anas" meaning "intimacy" or "familiarity".
How many people are called Anas in the UK?
A total of 2,276 babies have been registered as Anas across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 57 more in Scotland.
Where is Anas most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Anas ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #435 in 2023. 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.