UK boy's name
Asim
A masculine Arabic name meaning "protector" or "defender".
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.
Asim is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Asim popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2921, with 7 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 62 births.
This profile covers 720 England and Wales registrations across 29 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 11% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 761 living people in the UK are called Asim. 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
- • Asim ranked #2921 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 7 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 62 boys were registered as Asim.
- • Asim ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #535 in 2005.
- • About 761 living people in the UK are estimated to have Asim as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2921
2024
Births in 2024
7
Latest year
Peak year
1996
62 births
Estimated living
761
2026
Meaning
What does Asim mean?
The name Asim is of Arabic origin, derived from the word 'asim' which means 'protector' or 'guardian'. It has been a popular name in the Arab world and among Muslim communities for centuries.
The earliest recorded use of the name Asim dates back to the 7th century AD, during the time of the Prophet Muhammad. One of the most notable historical figures with this name was Asim ibn Thabit, a companion of the Prophet and a brave warrior who fought in several battles during the early Islamic era.
In the 9th century, Asim al-Tusi was a prominent Persian scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of logic and metaphysics. His works were widely studied and influenced later thinkers in the Islamic world.
During the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled from 750 to 1258 AD, several individuals named Asim held important positions in the government and military. One such figure was Asim ibn Ali al-Jarrah, a military commander who played a crucial role in the conquest of Anatolia in the 9th century.
In more recent times, Asim Munir Bajwa, born in 1966, is the current Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army, appointed in November 2022. He has had a distinguished military career and is known for his leadership and strategic vision.
Another prominent figure with the name Asim is Asim Qureshi, a British author, researcher, and activist who has written extensively on issues related to human rights, counterterrorism, and civil liberties. He was born in 1982 and is the founder of the advocacy organization CAGE.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Asim, reflecting its deep roots and significance within the Arabic and Islamic cultural traditions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Asim over time
The chart below shows babies named Asim 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 Asim, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 7 births in 2024, compared with 62 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Asim by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Asim 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 | #1915 | 64 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1665 | 155 | 10 |
| 2000s | #821 | 293 | 10 |
| 1990s | #414 | 208 | 4 |
Geography
Where Asim is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Asim. 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.
Asim ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #535 in 2005.
Across the UK
Asim in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#535 in 2005
13 years of NRS records, 48 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Asim
-
Asim Shahmalak
surgeon
British surgeon
1961-
Related
Names similar to Asim
- 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
Asim: questions and answers
How popular is the name Asim in the UK right now?
In 2024, Asim was ranked #2921 for boys in England and Wales, with 7 births registered.
When was Asim most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 62 babies registered as Asim in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Asim?
A masculine Arabic name meaning "protector" or "defender".
How many people are called Asim in the UK?
A total of 720 babies have been registered as Asim across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 48 more in Scotland.
Where is Asim most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Asim ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #535 in 2005. 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.