NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Bilal

A masculine Arabic name meaning "moisturizer" or "wetter".

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.

Bilal is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Bilal popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #414, with 97 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2006, with 190 births.

This profile covers 4,114 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 51% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 4,214 living people in the UK are called Bilal. 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

  • Bilal ranked #414 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 97 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2006, when 190 boys were registered as Bilal.
  • Bilal ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #619 in 2024.
  • About 4,214 living people in the UK are estimated to have Bilal as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#414

2024

Births in 2024

97

Latest year

Peak year

2006

190 births

Estimated living

4,214

2026

Meaning

What does Bilal mean?

The name Bilal is of Arabic origin and has been in use since ancient times. It is derived from the Arabic word "bal," which means "moisture" or "wetness." The name is believed to have been given to children born after a period of rain or during a rainy season.

One of the most famous historical references to the name Bilal is found in the Islamic tradition. Bilal ibn Rabah al-Habashi, who lived from around 580 to 640 AD, was a former Abyssinian slave who became one of the most trusted companions of the Prophet Muhammad. He was known for his beautiful voice and was chosen as the first muezzin, the person who calls Muslims to prayer.

In the 8th century, Bilal al-Muadhdhin was a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist from Kufa, Iraq, who lived from around 688 to 765 AD. He was known for his expertise in Islamic law and was a respected teacher of hadith (the recorded sayings and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad).

Another notable figure in history was Bilal ibn Idris al-Amawi, who lived from around 786 to 857 AD. He was a renowned Arabic poet and scholar from Damascus, Syria, and was known for his contributions to the field of Arabic literature.

During the 10th century, Bilal al-Khabbaz was a famous Arab mathematician and astronomer from Baghdad, Iraq. He lived from around 920 to 990 AD and made significant contributions to the development of algebra and trigonometry.

In the 12th century, Bilal al-Muhandis was a renowned Arab engineer and architect from Aleppo, Syria. He lived from around 1109 to 1195 AD and was known for his innovative designs and construction techniques, including the use of arches and domes in Islamic architecture.

The name Bilal has been used throughout history in various cultures and regions, including the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of South Asia. It has been a popular name among Muslims, but it has also been adopted by people of other faiths and backgrounds.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Bilal over time

The chart below shows babies named Bilal 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 Bilal, the clearest high point is 2006. The latest England and Wales figure is 97 births in 2024, compared with 190 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Bilal
04895143190199620102024

Decades

Bilal by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Bilal 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 #440 458 5
2010s #329 1,386 10
2000s #225 1,662 10
1990s #209 608 4

Geography

Where Bilal is most common

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

Bilal ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #619 in 2024.

Scotland
4

Across the UK

Bilal in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#619 in 2024

27 years of NRS records, 134 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Bilal

  • Bilal Douah

    association football player

    Gibraltarian association football player

    2003-

  • Bilal Shafayat

    cricketer

    English cricketer

    1984-

  • Bilal Abdullah

    English terrorist

    1980-

  • Bilal Zahid

    diplomat

    British diplomat

Related

Names similar to Bilal

FAQ

Bilal: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Bilal was ranked #414 for boys in England and Wales, with 97 births registered.

When was Bilal most popular?

The peak year on record was 2006, with 190 babies registered as Bilal in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Bilal?

A masculine Arabic name meaning "moisturizer" or "wetter".

How many people are called Bilal in the UK?

A total of 4,114 babies have been registered as Bilal across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 134 more in Scotland.

Where is Bilal most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Bilal ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #619 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.