UK name, mostly girls
Iman
An Arabic feminine name meaning "faith" or "belief".
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.
Iman is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Iman popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #603, with 65 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2006, with 149 births.
This profile covers 2,632 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 44% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 2,745 living people in the UK are called Iman. 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
- • Iman ranked #603 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 65 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2006, when 149 girls were registered as Iman.
- • Iman ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #384 in 2006.
- • About 2,745 living people in the UK are estimated to have Iman as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 92.5% of Iman registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#603
2024
Births in 2024
65
Latest year
Peak year
2006
149 births
Estimated living
2,745
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Iman
In England and Wales birth records, Iman has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 7.5% of registrations are for boys and 92.5% 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.
Iman registered for boys
- Ranked #1,675 in 2024
- 15 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (15 births)
Iman registered for girls
- Ranked #603 in 2024
- 65 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2006 (149 births)
Meaning
What does Iman mean?
The name Iman has its origins in the Arabic language and Islamic culture. It is derived from the Arabic root word "amana," which means "to believe" or "to have faith." The name is commonly used to refer to a person's faith, trust, or belief in God and Islam.
Iman is a widely used name among Muslims around the world, as it holds significant religious and cultural significance. In Islamic tradition, the concept of Iman (faith) is central to the religion and is considered one of the five pillars of Islam.
The earliest recorded use of the name Iman can be traced back to the 7th century, during the time of the Prophet Muhammad and the early Islamic era. The name is mentioned in the Quran, the central religious text of Islam, which reinforces its importance and relevance.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Iman. One of the earliest examples is Iman bin Husayn (661-713 CE), an early Islamic scholar and jurist who played a significant role in the development of Islamic jurisprudence.
Another prominent figure with the name Iman was Iman al-Shafi'i (767-820 CE), an influential Islamic jurist and the founder of the Shafi'i school of Islamic jurisprudence, one of the four major Sunni schools of thought.
In the modern era, Iman Abdulmajid (born 1955), a Somali-American fashion model and actress, gained international recognition for her successful modeling career and her work as a humanitarian and activist.
Iman Vellani (born 2002) is a Pakistani-Canadian actress who gained fame for portraying the role of Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, becoming the first Muslim actress to lead a Marvel Studios project.
Iman Shumpert (born 1990) is an American professional basketball player who won an NBA championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, and is also known for his participation in the reality show "Dancing with the Stars."
The name Iman continues to be a popular choice for Muslims and non-Muslims alike, as it carries a deep spiritual and cultural meaning rooted in Islamic traditions and values.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Iman over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Iman in England and Wales, 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 Iman, the clearest high point is 2006. The latest England and Wales figure is 65 births in 2024, compared with 149 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Iman by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Iman 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 | #683 | 275 | 5 |
| 2010s | #536 | 823 | 10 |
| 2000s | #314 | 1,307 | 10 |
| 1990s | #505 | 227 | 4 |
Geography
Where Iman is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Iman. 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.
Iman ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #384 in 2006.
Across the UK
Iman in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#630 in 2023
26 years of NRS records, 125 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#384 in 2006
1 years of NISRA records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Iman
- Isabella 58,822
- Isla 51,854
- Isabelle 46,163
- Imogen 33,758
- Ivy 23,306
- Isabel 20,895
- Isobel 19,706
- Iris 10,353
- India 8,371
- Iqra 4,452
- Indie 3,873
- Iona 3,682
FAQ
Iman: questions and answers
How popular is the name Iman in the UK right now?
In 2024, Iman was ranked #603 for girls in England and Wales, with 65 births registered.
When was Iman most popular?
The peak year on record was 2006, with 149 babies registered as Iman in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Iman?
An Arabic feminine name meaning "faith" or "belief".
How many people are called Iman in the UK?
A total of 2,632 babies have been registered as Iman across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 125 more in Scotland and 3 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Iman most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Iman ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #384 in 2006. 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.