UK boy's name
Anees
A masculine Arabic name meaning friend, companion, or intimate associate.
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.
Anees is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Anees 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 2004, with 20 births.
This profile covers 295 England and Wales registrations across 25 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 25% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 295 living people in the UK are called Anees. 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
- • Anees ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2004, when 20 boys were registered as Anees.
- • Anees ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #595 in 2007.
- • About 295 living people in the UK are estimated to have Anees 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
2004
20 births
Estimated living
295
2026
Meaning
What does Anees mean?
The name Anees has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "uns," which means "companionship" or "intimacy." The name is believed to have been in use since the early days of Islam, around the 7th century AD.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Anees can be found in the literary works of the renowned Arab poet and scholar Al-Jahiz, who lived during the 9th century AD. In his writings, he mentions individuals bearing this name, suggesting its widespread use during that time period.
Historically, the name Anees has been associated with individuals who possess qualities of kindness, affection, and a friendly demeanor. It was often given to children with the hope that they would grow up to be beloved and cherished members of their communities.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Anees. One such individual was Anees Al-Mawsili, a renowned musician and singer who lived during the Abbasid Caliphate in the 8th century AD. He is revered for his contributions to the development of Arabic music and his influential works.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Anees Al-Qaddah, a Syrian poet and writer who lived in the 20th century (1909-2008). He was known for his powerful and evocative poetry, which captured the essence of the Arab world and its struggles for independence.
In the Indian subcontinent, Anees Siddiqi (1939-2021) was a celebrated Urdu poet and writer from Pakistan. His works were widely acclaimed and he received numerous awards and accolades for his literary contributions.
Anees Salim, an Indian author and screenwriter born in 1981, is another notable figure with this name. His critically acclaimed novels, such as "The Vicks Mango Tree" and "The Blind Lady's Descendants," have garnered international recognition.
The name Anees has also been borne by scholars and intellectuals throughout history, such as Anees Ahmed Khan, a prominent Indian historian and academic who specialized in the study of medieval Indian history.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Anees over time
The chart below shows babies named Anees 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 Anees, the clearest high point is 2004. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 20 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Anees by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Anees 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 | #3688 | 5 | 1 |
| 2010s | #2891 | 77 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1299 | 151 | 10 |
| 1990s | #962 | 62 | 4 |
Geography
Where Anees is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Anees. 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.
Anees ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #595 in 2007.
Across the UK
Anees in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#595 in 2007
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Anees
- 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
Anees: questions and answers
How popular is the name Anees in the UK right now?
In 2024, Anees was ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Anees most popular?
The peak year on record was 2004, with 20 babies registered as Anees in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Anees?
A masculine Arabic name meaning friend, companion, or intimate associate.
How many people are called Anees in the UK?
A total of 295 babies have been registered as Anees across the 25 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Anees most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Anees ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #595 in 2007. 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.