NameCensus.

UK name, mostly girls

Ilham

An Arabic name meaning "divine inspiration" or "revelation".

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.

Ilham is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Ilham popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2115, with 13 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 16 births.

This profile covers 262 England and Wales registrations across 28 recorded years from 1997 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 81% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 261 living people in the UK are called Ilham. 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

  • Ilham ranked #2115 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 13 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2005, when 16 girls were registered as Ilham.
  • About 261 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ilham as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 88.5% of Ilham registrations are for girls.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2115

2024

Births in 2024

13

Latest year

Peak year

2005

16 births

Estimated living

261

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Ilham

In England and Wales birth records, Ilham has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 11.5% of registrations are for boys and 88.5% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

89% girls
Boys34 (11.5%)Girls262 (88.5%)

Ilham registered for boys

  • Ranked #3,688 in 2024
  • 5 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2011 (7 births)

Ilham registered for girls

  • Ranked #2,115 in 2024
  • 13 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2005 (16 births)

Meaning

What does Ilham mean?

The name Ilham has its origins in Arabic, deriving from the root word "wah-lam-ha" which means "to inspire" or "to receive divine revelation." It is a name associated with spiritual enlightenment and divine inspiration in Islamic tradition.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Ilham can be found in the Qur'an, the central religious text of Islam. In the Qur'an, the word "ilham" is used to refer to the divine revelations received by prophets and messengers of God.

Throughout Islamic history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Ilham. One such figure was Ilham al-Battah, a 12th-century Sufi mystic and poet from Persia, who authored several works on spiritual enlightenment and the mystical path.

Another historical figure was Ilham al-Din, a prominent 13th-century Islamic scholar and jurist from Samarkand (present-day Uzbekistan). He made significant contributions to the field of Islamic jurisprudence and authored several influential treatises on Islamic law.

In the realm of literature, Ilham Khatun was a renowned 16th-century Ottoman poet and calligrapher. She was celebrated for her mastery of the Turkish language and her beautiful calligraphic works, which are still preserved in various museums and collections.

Moving to more recent times, Ilham Aliyev, born in 1961, is the current President of Azerbaijan. He assumed office in 2003 and has played a significant role in shaping the country's political and economic landscape.

Finally, Ilham Tohti, born in 1969, is a renowned Uyghur scholar and human rights activist from China. He has been an outspoken advocate for the rights of the Uyghur minority and has faced persecution for his activism, being awarded the prestigious Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 2019.

These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the name Ilham, highlighting its rich cultural and spiritual significance across various regions and time periods.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Ilham over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Ilham in England and Wales, from 1997 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 Ilham, the clearest high point is 2005. The latest England and Wales figure is 13 births in 2024, compared with 16 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
05111621199720102024

Decades

Ilham by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ilham 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 #3847 35 5
2010s #2764 90 10
2000s #1825 117 10
1990s #2570 20 3

Related

Names similar to Ilham

FAQ

Ilham: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Ilham was ranked #2115 for girls in England and Wales, with 13 births registered.

When was Ilham most popular?

The peak year on record was 2005, with 16 babies registered as Ilham in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Ilham?

An Arabic name meaning "divine inspiration" or "revelation".

How many people are called Ilham in the UK?

A total of 262 babies have been registered as Ilham across the 28 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.