UK boy's name
Arfan
A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "lofty" or "exalted".
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.
Arfan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Arfan 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 2013, with 8 births.
This profile covers 109 England and Wales registrations across 22 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 63% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 126 living people in the UK are called Arfan. 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
- • Arfan ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2013, when 8 boys were registered as Arfan.
- • Arfan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #295 in 1989.
- • About 126 living people in the UK are estimated to have Arfan 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
2013
8 births
Estimated living
126
2026
Meaning
What does Arfan mean?
The name Arfan is of Arabic origin and dates back to the 7th century AD during the rise of Islam. It is derived from the Arabic word "arfan," which means "wise" or "knowledgeable." The name was likely given to individuals who were respected for their wisdom and scholarly pursuits.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Arfan was Arfan ibn Musa al-Baghdadi, a renowned Islamic scholar and mathematician who lived in Baghdad during the 9th century AD. He made significant contributions to the field of mathematics and is credited with introducing the concept of algebraic equations.
Another notable figure with the name Arfan was Arfan al-Dimashqi, a Syrian poet and writer who lived in Damascus during the 11th century AD. He was widely acclaimed for his poetic works, which celebrated the beauty of nature and the human experience.
In the 13th century AD, Arfan al-Isfahani was a Persian philosopher and theologian who lived in Isfahan, Iran. He was known for his interpretations of Islamic theology and his teachings on ethics and morality.
During the 15th century AD, Arfan Khan was a prominent military leader and governor in the Delhi Sultanate in India. He played a significant role in expanding the Sultanate's territories and consolidating its power in the region.
More recently, in the 20th century, Arfan Nizam was a renowned Pakistani writer and intellectual. Born in 1924 and died in 2005, he was a prolific author and a leading figure in the literary and cultural circles of Pakistan. His works explored themes of social justice, human rights, and the complexities of modern life.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who bore the name Arfan. While the name has its roots in the Arabic language and Islamic culture, it has transcended geographic and cultural boundaries, becoming a name recognized and appreciated across various regions and societies.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Arfan over time
The chart below shows babies named Arfan 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 Arfan, the clearest high point is 2013. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arfan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Arfan 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 | #3579 | 26 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3376 | 43 | 8 |
| 2000s | #3294 | 25 | 6 |
| 1990s | #2039 | 15 | 3 |
Geography
Where Arfan is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Arfan. 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.
Arfan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #295 in 1989.
Across the UK
Arfan in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#295 in 1989
5 years of NRS records, 18 total registered
Related
Names similar to Arfan
- 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
Arfan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Arfan in the UK right now?
In 2024, Arfan was ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Arfan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2013, with 8 babies registered as Arfan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Arfan?
A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "lofty" or "exalted".
How many people are called Arfan in the UK?
A total of 109 babies have been registered as Arfan across the 22 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 18 more in Scotland.
Where is Arfan most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Arfan ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #295 in 1989. 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.