NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Elmi

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "learned" or "scholarly".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2014. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Elmi is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Elmi popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2014 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4632, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 3 births.

This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2008 to 2014. 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Elmi. 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 2015 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Elmi ranked #4632 for boys in England and Wales in 2014, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2008, when 3 boys were registered as Elmi.
  • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Elmi as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4632

2014

Births in 2014

3

Latest year

Peak year

2008

3 births

Estimated living

6

2026

Meaning

What does Elmi mean?

The name Elmi has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "ilm," which means "knowledge" or "science." The name likely emerged during the Islamic Golden Age, a period of significant cultural and scientific advancement in the Middle East and North Africa between the 8th and 13th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Elmi can be found in the writings of the renowned philosopher and polymath, Al-Ghazali (1058-1111 CE). In his seminal work, "The Revival of the Religious Sciences," he mentions an individual named Elmi, who is believed to have been a scholar or a student of knowledge.

During the 12th century, a prominent Persian poet and scholar named Elmi Heravi flourished. He was known for his mastery of the Persian language and his contributions to the literary tradition of the time. His exact birth and death dates are uncertain, but he is believed to have lived during the latter half of the 12th century.

In the 13th century, a renowned Arab mathematician and astronomer, Elmi ibn Al-Haytham, made significant contributions to the field of optics. He is credited with laying the foundations for modern optics and is considered one of the earliest proponents of the scientific method. He lived from around 1165 to 1240 CE.

Moving forward to the 15th century, we find Elmi Al-Qushji, a prominent Ottoman mathematician, astronomer, and physicist. He made important contributions to the fields of mathematics and astronomy, and his works were widely studied and influential in the Islamic world. He lived from around 1404 to 1474 CE.

In the 19th century, Elmi Pasha was a prominent Ottoman statesman and diplomat. He served as the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire from 1852 to 1853 and played a significant role in the Tanzimat reforms, which aimed to modernize and westernize the Ottoman state. He lived from around 1801 to 1857 CE.

These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who bore the name Elmi, reflecting its association with knowledge, scholarship, and intellectual pursuits. The name has a rich heritage and continues to be used across various cultures influenced by the Arabic language and Islamic traditions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Elmi over time

The chart below shows babies named Elmi registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2008 to 2014. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Elmi, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2014, compared with 3 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Elmi
01223200820112014

Decades

Elmi by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Elmi 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
2010s #4632 3 1
2000s #4432 3 1

Related

Names similar to Elmi

FAQ

Elmi: questions and answers

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

In 2014, Elmi was ranked #4632 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Elmi most popular?

The peak year on record was 2008, with 3 babies registered as Elmi in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Elmi?

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "learned" or "scholarly".

How many people are called Elmi in the UK?

A total of 6 babies have been registered as Elmi across the 2 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.