UK boy's name
Ihab
An Arabic masculine name meaning "gift" or "to grant a gift".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2018. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Ihab is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Ihab popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2018 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4749, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 4 births.
This profile covers 10 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2007 to 2018. 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 10 living people in the UK are called Ihab. 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 2019 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Ihab ranked #4749 for boys in England and Wales in 2018, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2009, when 4 boys were registered as Ihab.
- • About 10 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ihab as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4749
2018
Births in 2018
3
Latest year
Peak year
2009
4 births
Estimated living
10
2026
Meaning
What does Ihab mean?
The name Ihab has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It emerged during the medieval Islamic era, when Arabic was the dominant language across a vast region stretching from the Middle East to North Africa and parts of Europe.
Ihab is derived from the Arabic root word "habba," which means "to love" or "to desire." The name carries connotations of affection, fondness, and cherished sentiments. It may have been bestowed upon individuals as a reflection of their loving nature or as an expression of parental hopes for their child to be filled with love and compassion.
In the early Islamic literature and historical records, there are several references to individuals bearing the name Ihab. One notable figure was Ihab ibn Abi Quhafah, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and a prominent military leader during the early days of Islam in the 7th century.
Throughout the centuries, the name Ihab has been carried by various scholars, poets, and dignitaries in the Arab world. One such individual was Ihab al-Hakami, a renowned 9th-century Arabic poet from Syria, renowned for his eloquent verses and contributions to the literary canon of the time.
In the 12th century, Ihab al-Din al-Suhrawardi, a Persian philosopher and mystic, made significant contributions to the development of Islamic philosophy and Sufism. His writings and teachings had a lasting impact on the intellectual discourse of the era.
During the Ottoman Empire, Ihab Pasha was a prominent military leader and statesman who served as the governor of several provinces in the 16th century. His leadership and strategic acumen were instrumental in the expansion and consolidation of Ottoman rule in the region.
Another notable figure bearing the name Ihab was Ihab Hassan, an Egyptian-American literary theorist and critic who lived from 1925 to 2015. He was widely recognized for his contributions to postmodern literary theory and his influential works exploring the intersection of literature, culture, and philosophy.
These are just a few examples of historical figures who carried the name Ihab, reflecting its enduring presence and significance across various cultures and eras within the Arabic-speaking world and beyond.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Ihab over time
The chart below shows babies named Ihab registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2007 to 2018. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Ihab, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2018, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ihab by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ihab 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 | #4749 | 3 | 1 |
| 2000s | #4039 | 7 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Ihab
- Isaac 49,129
- Ibrahim 14,115
- Ismail 4,679
- Isaiah 4,629
- Idris 3,810
- Ivan 3,146
- Isa 2,943
- Ian 2,805
- Ilyas 2,552
- Ieuan 2,515
- Ibraheem 2,384
- Ioan 2,295
FAQ
Ihab: questions and answers
How popular is the name Ihab in the UK right now?
In 2018, Ihab was ranked #4749 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Ihab most popular?
The peak year on record was 2009, with 4 babies registered as Ihab in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Ihab?
An Arabic masculine name meaning "gift" or "to grant a gift".
How many people are called Ihab in the UK?
A total of 10 babies have been registered as Ihab across the 3 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.