UK boy's name
Basim
An Arabic name meaning "smiling" or "the one who smiles".
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.
Basim is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Basim 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 2015, with 7 births.
This profile covers 34 England and Wales registrations across 9 recorded years from 2005 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 57% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 34 living people in the UK are called Basim. 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
- • Basim ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2015, when 7 boys were registered as Basim.
- • About 34 living people in the UK are estimated to have Basim 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
2015
7 births
Estimated living
34
2026
Meaning
What does Basim mean?
The name Basim originates from the Arabic language and culture, dating back to the 7th century CE. It is derived from the Arabic root word "basama," which means "to smile" or "to be cheerful." The name is often associated with happiness, joy, and a positive outlook on life.
In the early days of Islam, the name Basim was not widely used, but it gained popularity during the Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258 CE). Several historical figures bore this name, including Basim al-Samman, a renowned Muslim scholar and theologian who lived in the 9th century CE.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Basim can be found in the writings of the famous Arab historian and writer, al-Tabari (838-923 CE). In his chronicles, he mentions a companion of the Prophet Muhammad named Basim ibn Qays al-Tamimi.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the name Basim. One such person was Basim ibn Ibrahim al-Samarqandi (d. 1041 CE), a Persian mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of spherical trigonometry.
Another famous Basim was Basim al-Dimashqi (d. 1109 CE), a renowned Syrian scholar and physician who wrote extensively on medicine and pharmacology.
In the 13th century, Basim ibn Muhammad al-Husayni (d. 1269 CE) was a respected Islamic scholar and jurist from Baghdad, known for his work on Islamic law and jurisprudence.
During the Ottoman Empire, Basim Ahmed Pasha (1516-1567 CE) was a prominent military commander and statesman who served as the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire from 1566 to 1567.
In more recent times, Basim Musallam (1930-1999) was a prominent Palestinian writer, poet, and academic who made significant contributions to Arabic literature and culture.
While the name Basim has its roots in the Arabic language and Islamic culture, it has gained popularity in various parts of the world and is now used by people of diverse backgrounds and ethnicities.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Basim over time
The chart below shows babies named Basim registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2005 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 Basim, the clearest high point is 2015. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Basim by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Basim 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 | #4270 | 4 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4047 | 17 | 4 |
| 2000s | #4099 | 13 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Basim
- 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
Basim: questions and answers
How popular is the name Basim in the UK right now?
In 2024, Basim was ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Basim most popular?
The peak year on record was 2015, with 7 babies registered as Basim in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Basim?
An Arabic name meaning "smiling" or "the one who smiles".
How many people are called Basim in the UK?
A total of 34 babies have been registered as Basim across the 9 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.