UK boy's name
Asif
Arabic given name meaning "pardoner" or "forgiver".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2021. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Asif is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Asif popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3990, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 30 births.
This profile covers 297 England and Wales registrations across 24 recorded years from 1996 to 2021. 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 13% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 364 living people in the UK are called Asif. 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 2022 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Asif ranked #3990 for boys in England and Wales in 2021, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 30 boys were registered as Asif.
- • Asif ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #359 in 1996.
- • About 364 living people in the UK are estimated to have Asif as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3990
2021
Births in 2021
4
Latest year
Peak year
1996
30 births
Estimated living
364
2026
Meaning
What does Asif mean?
The given name Asif has its origins in the Arabic language. It is derived from the Arabic word 'asif', which means 'sincere' or 'pure'. The name can be traced back to the 7th century AD, during the rise of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula.
Asif is mentioned in several Islamic texts, including the Qur'an and Hadith. In the Qur'an, the name is associated with Prophet Muhammad's companion, Asif ibn Barkhiya, who was known for his wisdom and knowledge. The Hadith also refers to Asif as a righteous man.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Asif can be found in the works of the famous Arab poet and scholar, Al-Mutanabbi (915-965 AD). He wrote about a man named Asif ibn Yahya, who was a renowned scholar and philosopher during the Abbasid Caliphate.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Asif. One of the most prominent was Asif Jah I (1671-1748), the first Nizam of Hyderabad, who established the Asaf Jahi dynasty in South India. Another famous Asif was Asif Razvi (1908-1975), a Pakistani scholar and writer who played a significant role in the country's literary and cultural scene.
In the realm of music, Asif Ali Khan (1939-2022) was a renowned Pakistani classical vocalist and recipient of the prestigious Pride of Performance award. Asif Kapadia (born 1972) is a British filmmaker known for his award-winning documentaries, including "Senna" and "Amy".
Asif Iqbal (1942-2022) was a Pakistani cricketer who captained the national team in the 1970s and is considered one of the greatest batsmen in the country's history. Asif Zardari (born 1955) is a Pakistani politician who served as the 11th President of Pakistan from 2008 to 2013.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Asif over time
The chart below shows babies named Asif registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2021. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Asif, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2021, compared with 30 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Asif by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Asif 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 | #3990 | 4 | 1 |
| 2010s | #3042 | 59 | 9 |
| 2000s | #1432 | 143 | 10 |
| 1990s | #757 | 91 | 4 |
Geography
Where Asif is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Asif. 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.
Asif ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #359 in 1996.
Across the UK
Asif in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#359 in 1996
14 years of NRS records, 72 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Asif
-
Asif Kapadia
screenwriter; actor; film director; director
British film director
1972-
-
Asif Aziz
businessperson
businessman, philanthropist
1967-
-
Asif Din
cricketer
Former British Cricketer
1960-
-
Asif Ahmed
obstetrician
British-Indian vascular scientist
1960-
-
Asif Ahmad
diplomat
British diplomat
1956-
Related
Names similar to Asif
- 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
Asif: questions and answers
How popular is the name Asif in the UK right now?
In 2021, Asif was ranked #3990 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Asif most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 30 babies registered as Asif in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Asif?
Arabic given name meaning "pardoner" or "forgiver".
How many people are called Asif in the UK?
A total of 297 babies have been registered as Asif across the 24 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 72 more in Scotland.
Where is Asif most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Asif ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #359 in 1996. 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.