UK boy's name
Bashir
A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "bearer of good news" or "announcer of glad tidings".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Bashir is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Bashir popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3112, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2017, with 15 births.
This profile covers 169 England and Wales registrations across 27 recorded years from 1996 to 2023. 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 40% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 168 living people in the UK are called Bashir. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Bashir ranked #3112 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 6 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2017, when 15 boys were registered as Bashir.
- • About 168 living people in the UK are estimated to have Bashir as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3112
2023
Births in 2023
6
Latest year
Peak year
2017
15 births
Estimated living
168
2026
Meaning
What does Bashir mean?
The name Bashir originates from the Arabic language and has its roots in the word "bashir" which means "bringer of good news" or "bearer of glad tidings." This name has a strong connection with the Islamic faith and is believed to have been in use since the early days of Islam.
The earliest recorded use of the name Bashir can be traced back to the 7th century AD when it appeared in various historical texts and records from the Arabian Peninsula. During this period, the name was particularly popular among Muslim families and was often given to boys in the hope that they would grow up to be messengers of good news and bringers of joy.
One of the most notable historical figures to bear the name Bashir was Bashir ibn Sa'd, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and a prominent military leader during the early Islamic conquests. He lived from approximately 605 to 683 AD and played a crucial role in the Muslim conquest of Persia and the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah.
Another prominent figure with the name Bashir was Bashir ibn Burd, a renowned Arabic poet who lived from 805 to 869 AD. He was highly respected for his literary contributions and is considered one of the most influential poets of the Abbasid era.
In the 12th century, Bashir al-Din Mahmud ibn Qays al-Razi, a renowned Persian physician and philosopher, made significant contributions to the field of medicine. He was born in 1149 AD and is credited with writing several important medical treatises that were widely studied and referenced for centuries.
During the Ottoman Empire, the name Bashir continued to be popular, particularly among the ruling class. One notable figure was Bashir Agha, a powerful Ottoman statesman and military commander who lived from 1642 to 1711. He played a significant role in the Ottoman-Venetian wars and served as the governor of several provinces.
In more recent history, Bashir Gemayel, a Lebanese politician and military commander, was a prominent figure who bore this name. He was born in 1947 and served as the president-elect of Lebanon before his assassination in 1982, which sparked the Lebanese Civil War.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have carried the name Bashir, a name that has been associated with good news, joy, and positivity across various cultures and time periods.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Bashir over time
The chart below shows babies named Bashir registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Bashir, the clearest high point is 2017. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2023, compared with 15 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Bashir by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Bashir 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 | #3816 | 19 | 4 |
| 2010s | #2932 | 72 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2444 | 63 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2071 | 15 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Bashir
- Benjamin 90,412
- Ben 36,356
- Bradley 30,230
- Brandon 26,411
- Billy 18,608
- Bobby 16,904
- Blake 16,337
- Bailey 16,014
- Brody 7,230
- Beau 6,722
- Barnaby 5,284
- Brodie 4,801
FAQ
Bashir: questions and answers
How popular is the name Bashir in the UK right now?
In 2023, Bashir was ranked #3112 for boys in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.
When was Bashir most popular?
The peak year on record was 2017, with 15 babies registered as Bashir in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Bashir?
A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "bearer of good news" or "announcer of glad tidings".
How many people are called Bashir in the UK?
A total of 169 babies have been registered as Bashir across the 27 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.