NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Ayub

A masculine Arabic and Hebrew name meaning "serene" or "patient one".

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.

Ayub is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Ayub popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #500, with 78 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 82 births.

This profile covers 1,448 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 95% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 1,446 living people in the UK are called Ayub. 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

  • Ayub ranked #500 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 78 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2023, when 82 boys were registered as Ayub.
  • Ayub ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #703 in 2022.
  • About 1,446 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ayub as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#500

2024

Births in 2024

78

Latest year

Peak year

2023

82 births

Estimated living

1,446

2026

Meaning

What does Ayub mean?

The name Ayub has its origins in the Arabic language and is derived from the biblical name Job. The name can be traced back to the ancient Semitic languages and is believed to have originated around the 6th century BCE.

The meaning of the name Ayub is often associated with patience, endurance, and perseverance. This is likely a reference to the biblical story of Job, a righteous man who faced numerous trials and tribulations but remained steadfast in his faith.

In the Book of Job, which is part of the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament, Ayub (Job) is depicted as a wealthy and pious man who is tested by God with a series of calamities, including the loss of his possessions, his children, and his health. Despite these hardships, Ayub remains patient and faithful, and his story is often seen as an allegory for the human condition and the struggle to maintain faith in the face of adversity.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Ayub can be found in the Quran, the central religious text of Islam. In the Quran, Ayub is mentioned as a prophet and is revered for his patience and perseverance in the face of trials. The story of Ayub is a significant part of Islamic tradition and is often cited as an example of steadfastness and trust in God.

Throughout history, there have been several notable figures who bore the name Ayub. One of the most famous was Ayub Khan (1907-1974), a Pakistani military officer and politician who served as the second President of Pakistan from 1958 to 1969.

Another notable figure was Ayub Khalifa (1897-1972), an Egyptian writer and playwright who is considered one of the pioneers of modern Arabic literature. His works often explored themes of social justice and the struggles of the working class.

In the realm of sports, Ayub Kalule (born 1968) is a former Ugandan boxer who won a silver medal in the lightweight division at the 1994 Commonwealth Games.

Ayub Khan Ommaya (1932-2008) was a Pakistani-American neurosurgeon who is credited with inventing the Ommaya reservoir, a medical device used for the treatment of certain brain disorders.

Ayub Bachchu (1962-2018) was a renowned Bangladeshi rock musician and singer-songwriter, often referred to as the "Rock Guru" of Bangladesh. He was a pioneering figure in the country's rock music scene and was instrumental in popularizing the genre.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Ayub, each leaving their mark in various fields and disciplines.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Ayub over time

The chart below shows babies named Ayub 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 Ayub, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 78 births in 2024, compared with 82 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Ayub
021416282199620102024

Decades

Ayub by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ayub 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 #524 371 5
2010s #573 638 10
2000s #661 401 10
1990s #1321 38 4

Geography

Where Ayub is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Ayub. 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.

Ayub ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #703 in 2022.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Ayub in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#703 in 2022

2 years of NRS records, 7 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Ayub

  • Ayub Khan-Din

    screenwriter; actor

    British actor and playwright

    1961-

Related

Names similar to Ayub

FAQ

Ayub: questions and answers

How popular is the name Ayub in the UK right now?

In 2024, Ayub was ranked #500 for boys in England and Wales, with 78 births registered.

When was Ayub most popular?

The peak year on record was 2023, with 82 babies registered as Ayub in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Ayub?

A masculine Arabic and Hebrew name meaning "serene" or "patient one".

How many people are called Ayub in the UK?

A total of 1,448 babies have been registered as Ayub across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 7 more in Scotland.

Where is Ayub most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Ayub ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #703 in 2022. 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.