UK boy's name
Awad
A masculine Arabic name meaning "one who returns" or "to restore".
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.
Awad is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Awad 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 2006, with 6 births.
This profile covers 40 England and Wales registrations across 11 recorded years from 2006 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 67% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 40 living people in the UK are called Awad. 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
- • Awad ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2006, when 6 boys were registered as Awad.
- • About 40 living people in the UK are estimated to have Awad 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
2006
6 births
Estimated living
40
2026
Meaning
What does Awad mean?
The name Awad is of Arabic origin and can be traced back to the late 6th century AD, during the rise of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula. It is derived from the Arabic word "awwad," which means "to return" or "to come back." The name's etymology suggests that it was initially given to individuals who had traveled away from their homeland and then returned.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Awad can be found in the historical accounts of the Muslim conquest of Persia, where an Arab military commander named Awad ibn Masud al-Tamimi played a significant role in the Battle of Qadisiyyah in 636 AD. This battle was a decisive victory for the Muslim forces and paved the way for the subsequent conquest of the Sasanian Empire.
In the 9th century, during the Abbasid Caliphate, a prominent scholar and poet named Awad al-Basri was known for his contributions to Arabic literature and his mastery of the Arabic language. He was born in Basra, Iraq, in 796 AD and is remembered for his elegant poetry and his works on Arabic grammar and lexicography.
Another notable figure with the name Awad was Awad ibn Anbasa al-Fazari, a military leader who lived in the 10th century AD during the Fatimid Caliphate. He played a crucial role in the conquest of Egypt and the establishment of the Fatimid dynasty's rule in the region.
In the 12th century, Awad al-Din Anushirvan, a Persian scholar and physician, gained recognition for his contributions to the field of medicine. He was born in Hamadan, Iran, in 1104 AD and authored several medical treatises that were widely studied and referenced during his time.
More recently, in the 20th century, Awad al-Awadi was a prominent Kuwaiti poet and writer who was acclaimed for his works that celebrated Arab culture and identity. He was born in 1923 and played a significant role in the literary and cultural renaissance of the Arab world during the mid-20th century.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Awad, reflecting its deep-rooted origins in the Arabic language and its association with various cultural, literary, and historical contexts across the Middle East and North Africa.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Awad over time
The chart below shows babies named Awad registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2006 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 Awad, the clearest high point is 2006. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Awad by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Awad 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 | #4689 | 16 | 5 |
| 2010s | #4731 | 9 | 3 |
| 2000s | #3280 | 15 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Awad
- 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
Awad: questions and answers
How popular is the name Awad in the UK right now?
In 2024, Awad was ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Awad most popular?
The peak year on record was 2006, with 6 babies registered as Awad in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Awad?
A masculine Arabic name meaning "one who returns" or "to restore".
How many people are called Awad in the UK?
A total of 40 babies have been registered as Awad across the 11 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.