NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Aqil

Derived from the Arabic root meaning "intelligent" or "wise".

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.

Aqil is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Aqil popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4270, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1998, with 11 births.

This profile covers 138 England and Wales registrations across 22 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 36% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 137 living people in the UK are called Aqil. 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

  • Aqil ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1998, when 11 boys were registered as Aqil.
  • About 137 living people in the UK are estimated to have Aqil as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4270

2024

Births in 2024

4

Latest year

Peak year

1998

11 births

Estimated living

137

2026

Meaning

What does Aqil mean?

The name Aqil is of Arabic origin, derived from the root word "aqala," which means "to be intelligent or wise." It is a masculine name that has been in use since ancient times in the Arab world.

In the pre-Islamic era, the name Aqil was occasionally used among Arab tribes, but it gained more popularity after the advent of Islam. The name is mentioned in several Islamic texts and historical records, often associated with individuals renowned for their wisdom and intelligence.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Aqil is in the context of the Prophet Muhammad's family. Aqil ibn Abi Talib was the brother of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth caliph of Islam, and a paternal uncle of the Prophet Muhammad. He lived in the 7th century and played a role in the early Islamic community.

Another notable figure in history with the name Aqil was Aqil al-Mubtadi, a renowned Arab mathematician and astronomer who lived in the 9th century during the Islamic Golden Age. He made significant contributions to the fields of mathematics and astronomy, and his works were widely studied and referenced by scholars of his time.

In the 12th century, Aqil Shami was a famous Arab poet and writer hailing from Damascus, Syria. His poetic works and literary contributions are considered important in the development of Arabic literature during the Ayyubid period.

The name Aqil also appears in religious texts and historical records from other parts of the world. For instance, in the 16th century, there was a prominent Ottoman scholar and theologian named Aqil Ali Razi, who wrote extensively on Islamic jurisprudence and theology.

Another notable figure with the name Aqil was Aqil Khan, a prominent military leader and governor in the Mughal Empire during the 17th century. He played a significant role in the administration and military campaigns of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Aqil over time

The chart below shows babies named Aqil 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 Aqil, the clearest high point is 1998. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 11 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Aqil
036811199620102024

Decades

Aqil by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Aqil 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 #4189 8 2
2010s #3979 29 7
2000s #1970 74 9
1990s #1893 27 4

Related

Names similar to Aqil

FAQ

Aqil: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Aqil was ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Aqil most popular?

The peak year on record was 1998, with 11 babies registered as Aqil in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Aqil?

Derived from the Arabic root meaning "intelligent" or "wise".

How many people are called Aqil in the UK?

A total of 138 babies have been registered as Aqil across the 22 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.