NameCensus.

UK name, mostly boys

Anis

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "friend" or "companion".

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.

Anis is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Anis popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2263, with 10 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2004, with 25 births.

This profile covers 366 England and Wales registrations across 29 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 40% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 363 living people in the UK are called Anis. 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

  • Anis ranked #2263 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 10 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2004, when 25 boys were registered as Anis.
  • About 363 living people in the UK are estimated to have Anis as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 96.1% of Anis registrations are for boys.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2263

2024

Births in 2024

10

Latest year

Peak year

2004

25 births

Estimated living

363

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Anis

In England and Wales birth records, Anis has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 96.1% of registrations are for boys and 3.9% 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.

96% boys
Boys366 (96.1%)Girls15 (3.9%)

Anis registered for boys

  • Ranked #2,263 in 2024
  • 10 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2004 (25 births)

Anis registered for girls

  • Ranked #5,765 in 2017
  • 3 girls registered in 2017
  • Peak: 1998 (3 births)

Meaning

What does Anis mean?

The name Anis has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. The word "anis" means "companion" or "friend" in Arabic. It is also believed to be derived from the Persian word "anisu," which means "close friend."

In the Islamic tradition, the name Anis is associated with the concept of friendship and companionship. It is believed that the name was first used during the early days of Islam, around the 7th century AD.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Anis can be found in the works of the renowned Persian poet and scholar, Rumi. In his poetry, Rumi often used the name Anis as a metaphor for the close relationship between the divine and the human soul.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Anis. One such person was Anis al-Dawlah (962-1028), a Persian vizier and poet who served under the Buyid dynasty. He was known for his patronage of the arts and his contributions to Persian literature.

Another prominent figure with the name Anis was Anis al-Qurashi (1070-1132), an Arab philosopher and physician who lived during the Abbasid Caliphate. He was renowned for his contributions to the fields of medicine and philosophy, and his works were widely studied in the Islamic world.

In the 13th century, Anis al-Jalis was a renowned Persian physician and scholar who authored several important works on medicine and philosophy. He was also known for his expertise in astrology and astronomy.

During the Ottoman Empire, Anis Efendi (1670-1737) was a prominent Ottoman calligrapher and poet. He was renowned for his mastery of the naskh and thuluth scripts, and his works were highly prized by Ottoman sultans and nobility.

In more recent times, Anis Nusrat (1914-1960) was a Pakistani poet and writer who made significant contributions to Urdu literature. He is considered one of the greatest poets of the 20th century in Pakistan and is widely celebrated for his lyrical and romantic poetry.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Anis over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Anis 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 Anis, the clearest high point is 2004. The latest England and Wales figure is 10 births in 2024, compared with 25 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
07132026199620102024

Decades

Anis by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Anis 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 #3002 34 5
2010s #2016 114 10
2000s #1125 183 10
1990s #1507 35 4

Notable bearers

Famous people named Anis

  • Anis Mehmeti

    association football player

    Albanian-English footballer

    2001-

  • Anis Halloway

    singer-songwriter

    Sierra Leonean musicians

Related

Names similar to Anis

FAQ

Anis: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Anis was ranked #2263 for boys in England and Wales, with 10 births registered.

When was Anis most popular?

The peak year on record was 2004, with 25 babies registered as Anis in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Anis?

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "friend" or "companion".

How many people are called Anis in the UK?

A total of 366 babies have been registered as Anis across the 29 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.