UK boy's name
Husein
A masculine Arabic name meaning "handsome" or "good".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2021. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Husein is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Husein popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4789, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2001, with 4 births.
This profile covers 23 England and Wales registrations across 7 recorded years from 1996 to 2021. 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 23 living people in the UK are called Husein. 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 2022 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Husein ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales in 2021, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2001, when 4 boys were registered as Husein.
- • About 23 living people in the UK are estimated to have Husein as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4789
2021
Births in 2021
3
Latest year
Peak year
2001
4 births
Estimated living
23
2026
Meaning
What does Husein mean?
The name Husein is an Arabic name that has its origins in the Semitic root ḥ-s-n, which means "good" or "handsome." It is a variant spelling of the more common Arabic name Hussein, which is derived from the Arabic word "al-Husayn," meaning "the good one" or "the handsome one."
The name Husein has a strong connection to the Islamic faith and history. It is closely associated with al-Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and one of the most revered figures in Shia Islam. Al-Hussein was martyred in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE, and his sacrifice is commemorated annually during the Shia mourning ritual of Ashura.
The earliest recorded use of the name Husein can be traced back to the 7th century CE, during the early years of Islam. It was initially used exclusively within the Arab world but later spread to other regions as Islam expanded.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Husein. One of the earliest was Husein ibn Ali, the son of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatimah, the daughter of Prophet Muhammad. He was born in 626 CE and was killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE.
Another prominent figure was Husein ibn Mansur al-Hallaj, a Persian mystic and poet who lived from 858 CE to 922 CE. He was known for his controversial teachings on the concept of unity with God and was eventually executed for blasphemy.
In the 20th century, Husein bin Ali, the Sharif of Mecca and the last ruler of the Hashemite Kingdom of Hejaz, played a significant role in the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire during World War I. He was born in 1854 and died in 1931.
Husein Khayri, an Egyptian actor, and filmmaker, was also a notable bearer of the name. He was born in 1899 and died in 1973, and is considered one of the pioneers of Egyptian cinema.
Lastly, Husein Fahri Jafer, an Iraqi Kurdish politician and former Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, was born in 1959. He held the position of Prime Minister from 2009 to 2012.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Husein over time
The chart below shows babies named Husein registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2021. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Husein, the clearest high point is 2001. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2021, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Husein by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Husein 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 | #4789 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4730 | 6 | 2 |
| 2000s | #3214 | 11 | 3 |
| 1990s | #2863 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Husein
- Harry 141,693
- Henry 65,177
- Harrison 45,958
- Harvey 35,648
- Harley 22,095
- Hugo 18,779
- Hayden 12,622
- Hunter 10,350
- Hudson 9,104
- Hamza 8,564
- Hassan 5,982
- Hasan 3,599
FAQ
Husein: questions and answers
How popular is the name Husein in the UK right now?
In 2021, Husein was ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Husein most popular?
The peak year on record was 2001, with 4 babies registered as Husein in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Husein?
A masculine Arabic name meaning "handsome" or "good".
How many people are called Husein in the UK?
A total of 23 babies have been registered as Husein across the 7 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.