UK boy's name
Arafat
Masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "sacred ground" or "land of guidance".
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.
Arafat is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Arafat popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1951, with 12 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2016, with 15 births.
This profile covers 191 England and Wales registrations across 25 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 80% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 190 living people in the UK are called Arafat. 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
- • Arafat ranked #1951 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 12 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2016, when 15 boys were registered as Arafat.
- • About 190 living people in the UK are estimated to have Arafat as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1951
2024
Births in 2024
12
Latest year
Peak year
2016
15 births
Estimated living
190
2026
Meaning
What does Arafat mean?
The name Arafat is of Arabic origin, derived from the word 'arafa' which means 'to know' or 'to recognize'. It is believed to have originated in the Middle East, likely in the Arabian Peninsula, during the early days of Islam.
One of the earliest and most significant historical references to the name Arafat can be found in the Islamic tradition. Arafat is the name of a mountain located near the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. It holds immense religious significance as it is the site where Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon during the Hajj pilgrimage in 632 CE.
The first recorded use of the name Arafat can be traced back to the 7th century CE. One of the earliest individuals with this name was Arafat ibn Salim, a companion of Prophet Muhammad who lived in the 7th century CE.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Arafat. One of the most prominent was Yasser Arafat (1929-2004), a Palestinian leader who served as the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the President of the Palestinian National Authority.
Another notable individual with the name Arafat was Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (1888-1958), an Indian scholar, poet, and a senior political leader during India's struggle for independence from British rule.
In the realm of sports, Arafat Sunny (born 1981) is a Bangladeshi cricketer who has played for the national team and has represented various domestic and international teams.
Another individual worth mentioning is Arafat Abdur Rahman (born 1967), a Bangladeshi politician and the current Chairman of the Jatiya Party, a major political party in Bangladesh.
Arafat Nagi (born 1974) is a prominent Afghan singer and musician who has gained popularity for his contributions to Afghan music and culture.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the name Arafat throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and cultures.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Arafat over time
The chart below shows babies named Arafat 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 Arafat, the clearest high point is 2016. The latest England and Wales figure is 12 births in 2024, compared with 15 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arafat by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Arafat 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 | #2647 | 41 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2181 | 100 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2831 | 37 | 6 |
| 1990s | #2762 | 13 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Arafat
- 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
Arafat: questions and answers
How popular is the name Arafat in the UK right now?
In 2024, Arafat was ranked #1951 for boys in England and Wales, with 12 births registered.
When was Arafat most popular?
The peak year on record was 2016, with 15 babies registered as Arafat in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Arafat?
Masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "sacred ground" or "land of guidance".
How many people are called Arafat in the UK?
A total of 191 babies have been registered as Arafat across the 25 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.