NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Haider

A masculine Arabic name meaning "lion" or "brave one".

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.

Haider is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Haider popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #389, with 106 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 121 births.

This profile covers 2,469 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 88% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 2,474 living people in the UK are called Haider. 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

  • Haider ranked #389 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 106 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2022, when 121 boys were registered as Haider.
  • Haider ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #728 in 2023.
  • About 2,474 living people in the UK are estimated to have Haider as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#389

2024

Births in 2024

106

Latest year

Peak year

2022

121 births

Estimated living

2,474

2026

Meaning

What does Haider mean?

The name Haider has its origins in the Arabic language and can be traced back to the 7th century CE. It is derived from the Arabic word "haidara," which means "lion" or "brave." The name is often associated with strength, courage, and bravery.

In Islamic history, one of the most notable figures bearing the name Haider was Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad. He was given the honorific title "Haider" by the Prophet himself, acknowledging his bravery and valor in battles. Hazrat Ali is revered as the first Imam in Shia Islam and is regarded as a significant figure in Islamic theology and history.

The earliest recorded use of the name Haider can be found in various Islamic texts and historical records from the 7th century CE, particularly in the Arab regions. It gained popularity across various Muslim communities and spread to other parts of the world through cultural and religious influences.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Haider. One of the earliest recorded figures was Haider Ali, an 18th-century ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India, who lived from 1722 to 1782. He was known for his military prowess and resistance against British colonial rule.

Another prominent figure was Haider Raza, an influential Indian modern artist, who lived from 1922 to 2016. He was a key pioneer of the Indian avant-garde movement and is celebrated for his unique style and contribution to contemporary Indian art.

In literature, Haider is also the name of the protagonist in the famous Urdu play "Haider" by Agha Hashr Kashmiri, which is an adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet." The play, written in the 18th century, is a significant work in Urdu literature and explores themes of revenge, justice, and moral dilemmas.

Other notable individuals who have borne the name Haider include Haider Javed Husain, an Iraqi actor and film director born in 1942, and Haider Ackermann, a Colombian-born French fashion designer known for his innovative and avant-garde designs, who was born in 1971.

The name Haider has maintained its significance and popularity across various cultures and regions, particularly in the Arab world and among Muslim communities, where it continues to be associated with strength, bravery, and courage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Haider over time

The chart below shows babies named Haider 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 Haider, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 106 births in 2024, compared with 121 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Haider
0306191121199620102024

Decades

Haider by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Haider 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 #390 541 5
2010s #465 865 10
2000s #362 862 10
1990s #425 201 4

Geography

Where Haider is most common

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

Haider ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #728 in 2023.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Haider in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#728 in 2023

6 years of NRS records, 23 total registered

Related

Names similar to Haider

FAQ

Haider: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Haider was ranked #389 for boys in England and Wales, with 106 births registered.

When was Haider most popular?

The peak year on record was 2022, with 121 babies registered as Haider in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Haider?

A masculine Arabic name meaning "lion" or "brave one".

How many people are called Haider in the UK?

A total of 2,469 babies have been registered as Haider across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 23 more in Scotland.

Where is Haider most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Haider ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #728 in 2023. 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.