UK boy's name
Enis
A masculine Turkish name derived from the Arabic name ʼAnas, meaning "intimate friend".
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.
Enis is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Enis popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2671, with 8 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2018, with 16 births.
This profile covers 242 England and Wales registrations across 27 recorded years from 1998 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 50% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 240 living people in the UK are called Enis. 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
- • Enis ranked #2671 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 8 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2018, when 16 boys were registered as Enis.
- • About 240 living people in the UK are estimated to have Enis as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2671
2024
Births in 2024
8
Latest year
Peak year
2018
16 births
Estimated living
240
2026
Meaning
What does Enis mean?
The name Enis has its origins in the Turkish language and culture. It is believed to have derived from the Persian word "anis," which means "companion" or "friend." The name gained popularity in the Ottoman Empire during the 15th to 18th centuries.
Enis was a common name among the Ottoman Turks, particularly in Anatolia and the Balkans. It was often given to boys born into families with close ties to the Ottoman court or military. The name was also popular among the Janissary corps, an elite infantry unit within the Ottoman army.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Enis can be found in the 16th-century Ottoman chronicles, where it was mentioned as the name of a Janissary soldier who served under Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. Another notable figure with the name Enis was Enis Efendi, a 17th-century Ottoman calligrapher renowned for his mastery of the Diwani script.
In the 19th century, Enis Bey Efendi (1826-1897) was a prominent Ottoman statesman and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs during the reign of Sultan Abdulaziz. He played a crucial role in negotiating the Treaty of Berlin in 1878, which resolved territorial disputes following the Russo-Turkish War.
Another historical figure with the name Enis was Enis Akiger (1889-1977), a Turkish politician and military officer who fought in the Turkish War of Independence. He later served as a member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and played a significant role in the establishment of the modern Turkish state.
Enis Behic Koryürek (1891-1949) was a prominent Turkish poet and author known for his works that celebrated the beauty of Anatolia and the Turkish language. His poetry often drew inspiration from the rich cultural heritage of Turkey and its people.
While the name Enis has its roots in the Ottoman Empire and Turkish culture, it has also been adopted in other parts of the world, particularly in regions with significant Turkish or Muslim populations. However, the historical significance and cultural connections of the name remain closely tied to its Turkish origins.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Enis over time
The chart below shows babies named Enis registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 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 Enis, the clearest high point is 2018. The latest England and Wales figure is 8 births in 2024, compared with 16 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Enis by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Enis 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 | #2409 | 45 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2346 | 97 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1837 | 92 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2499 | 8 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Enis
- Ethan 77,394
- Edward 53,212
- Elliot 23,450
- Elijah 22,369
- Ellis 19,358
- Elliott 16,964
- Evan 14,535
- Ezra 11,838
- Ewan 10,685
- Eli 8,126
- Elias 7,049
- Eric 6,654
FAQ
Enis: questions and answers
How popular is the name Enis in the UK right now?
In 2024, Enis was ranked #2671 for boys in England and Wales, with 8 births registered.
When was Enis most popular?
The peak year on record was 2018, with 16 babies registered as Enis in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Enis?
A masculine Turkish name derived from the Arabic name ʼAnas, meaning "intimate friend".
How many people are called Enis in the UK?
A total of 242 babies have been registered as Enis 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.