UK name, mostly boys
Ayaan
A masculine Arabic name meaning "prosperous" or "resourceful".
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.
Ayaan is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Ayaan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #123, with 440 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 586 births.
This profile covers 8,156 England and Wales registrations across 24 recorded years from 2001 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 8,367 living people in the UK are called Ayaan. 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
- • Ayaan ranked #123 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 440 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2014, when 586 boys were registered as Ayaan.
- • Ayaan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #352 in 2024.
- • About 8,367 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ayaan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 98.6% of Ayaan registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#123
2024
Births in 2024
440
Latest year
Peak year
2014
586 births
Estimated living
8,367
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Ayaan
In England and Wales birth records, Ayaan has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 98.6% of registrations are for boys and 1.4% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Ayaan registered for boys
- Ranked #123 in 2024
- 440 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2014 (586 births)
Ayaan registered for girls
- Ranked #4,634 in 2021
- 4 girls registered in 2021
- Peak: 1999 (9 births)
Meaning
What does Ayaan mean?
The given name Ayaan has its origins in Arabic and Persian languages. It is derived from the Arabic word 'ayn' which means 'eye' or 'spring'. The name can also be traced back to the Persian word 'ayan' meaning 'worthy' or 'noble'.
In Islamic tradition, Ayaan is believed to be one of the names of Allah, referring to the 'Ever-Watchful' or 'All-Seeing' aspect of God. The name is mentioned in the Quran and has been used by Muslims for centuries.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Ayaan was Ayaan ibn al-Kalbi, an Arab grammarian and scholar who lived in the 8th century CE. He is known for his work on the genealogy and history of Arab tribes.
Another notable figure was Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali-born Dutch-American scholar, writer, and former politician, born in 1969. She is known for her advocacy of women's rights and her criticism of Islam.
In the realm of literature, Ayaan Agha is a renowned Urdu poet and writer from Pakistan, born in 1932. He is widely acclaimed for his ghazals and nazms, which have contributed significantly to the Urdu literary tradition.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali-born Dutch-American scholar, writer, and former politician, born in 1969, is also a prominent figure associated with the name Ayaan. She is known for her advocacy of women's rights and her criticism of Islam.
Ayaan Mohd Khan, an Indian cricketer born in 1995, has also gained recognition for his performance in domestic cricket tournaments like the Ranji Trophy.
Throughout history, the name Ayaan has been borne by individuals from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, reflecting its universal appeal and multifaceted meanings.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Ayaan over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Ayaan in England and Wales, from 1997 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 Ayaan, the clearest high point is 2014. The latest England and Wales figure is 440 births in 2024, compared with 586 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ayaan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ayaan 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 | #139 | 1,968 | 5 |
| 2010s | #123 | 4,980 | 10 |
| 2000s | #603 | 1,208 | 9 |
Geography
Where Ayaan is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Ayaan. 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.
Ayaan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #352 in 2024.
Across the UK
Ayaan in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#352 in 2024
21 years of NRS records, 254 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#433 in 2021
2 years of NISRA records, 6 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Ayaan
-
Ayaan Iqbal
snooker player
snooker player
2007-
Related
Names similar to Ayaan
- 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
Ayaan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Ayaan in the UK right now?
In 2024, Ayaan was ranked #123 for boys in England and Wales, with 440 births registered.
When was Ayaan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2014, with 586 babies registered as Ayaan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Ayaan?
A masculine Arabic name meaning "prosperous" or "resourceful".
How many people are called Ayaan in the UK?
A total of 8,156 babies have been registered as Ayaan across the 24 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 254 more in Scotland and 6 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Ayaan most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Ayaan ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #352 in 2024. 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.