UK boy's name
Aqeel
Intelligent, discerning, or one who possesses superior intellect.
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.
Aqeel is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Aqeel popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3254, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2000, with 23 births.
This profile covers 387 England and Wales registrations across 28 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 26% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 384 living people in the UK are called Aqeel. 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
- • Aqeel ranked #3254 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 6 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2000, when 23 boys were registered as Aqeel.
- • About 384 living people in the UK are estimated to have Aqeel as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3254
2024
Births in 2024
6
Latest year
Peak year
2000
23 births
Estimated living
384
2026
Meaning
What does Aqeel mean?
The name Aqeel has its origins in the Arabic language and culture, where it can be traced back to the 6th century CE. The name is derived from the Arabic word "aqeel," which means "intelligent" or "wise." This name was given to children with the hope that they would grow up to be intelligent and knowledgeable individuals.
In the Islamic tradition, the name Aqeel is closely associated with Aqeel ibn Abi Talib, who was the son of Abu Talib and the paternal cousin of the Prophet Muhammad. Aqeel played a significant role in the early days of Islam, and his name is mentioned in various historical accounts and Islamic texts, including the Qur'an.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Aqeel is found in the writings of the renowned Arab historian and scholar, Al-Tabari (838-923 CE), who documented the life and times of Aqeel ibn Abi Talib. Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Aqeel, including Aqeel Khan (1556-1605), who was a Mughal military commander and governor during the reign of Akbar the Great.
Another famous bearer of the name was Aqeel ibn Abi Bakr al-Kufi (718-805 CE), a renowned Arab grammarian and philologist who made significant contributions to the study of the Arabic language. In the realm of literature, Aqeel Asghar Hussain (1922-2010) was a celebrated Urdu poet and writer from Pakistan, known for his profound works on social and political themes.
The name Aqeel has also been associated with individuals from other cultures and religions. For instance, Aqeel Ahmed Khan (1897-1962) was an Indian Muslim politician and statesman who played a crucial role in the Indian independence movement and served as the first Prime Minister of the Hyderabad State.
Aqeel Ahmad (1914-1983) was a renowned Pakistani physicist and educationist who made significant contributions to the field of nuclear physics and played a pivotal role in the establishment of several educational institutions in Pakistan.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Aqeel over time
The chart below shows babies named Aqeel 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 Aqeel, the clearest high point is 2000. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2024, compared with 23 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Aqeel by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Aqeel 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 | #3196 | 32 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2051 | 103 | 9 |
| 2000s | #1111 | 182 | 10 |
| 1990s | #873 | 70 | 4 |
Notable bearers
Famous people named Aqeel
-
Aqeel Ahmed
screenwriter; film director; film producer
Film director and producer and screenwriter
1987-
Related
Names similar to Aqeel
- 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
Aqeel: questions and answers
How popular is the name Aqeel in the UK right now?
In 2024, Aqeel was ranked #3254 for boys in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.
When was Aqeel most popular?
The peak year on record was 2000, with 23 babies registered as Aqeel in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Aqeel?
Intelligent, discerning, or one who possesses superior intellect.
How many people are called Aqeel in the UK?
A total of 387 babies have been registered as Aqeel across the 28 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.