UK boy's name
Iqbal
A masculine Arabic name meaning "prosperity" or "abundance".
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.
Iqbal is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Iqbal popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5119, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 11 births.
This profile covers 77 England and Wales registrations across 17 recorded years from 1996 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 27% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 76 living people in the UK are called Iqbal. 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
- • Iqbal ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1997, when 11 boys were registered as Iqbal.
- • About 76 living people in the UK are estimated to have Iqbal as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5119
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
1997
11 births
Estimated living
76
2026
Meaning
What does Iqbal mean?
The name Iqbal is a Persian name derived from the Arabic word "iqbal" meaning "prosperity" or "good fortune". It has been a popular name in the Persian and Islamic cultures for centuries.
The earliest recorded use of the name can be traced back to the 7th century, during the Islamic Golden Age. It was a common name among poets, scholars, and intellectuals of that era.
One of the most famous individuals to bear this name was Iqbal, the renowned poet and philosopher from British India, who lived from 1877 to 1938. He is considered the spiritual father of Pakistan and his poetry played a significant role in the Pakistani independence movement.
Another notable figure was Sir Muhammad Iqbal, a British-Indian philosopher and politician who served as the President of the Muslim League from 1930 to 1934. He was a strong advocate for the creation of a separate Muslim state in the Indian subcontinent.
In the realm of literature, Iqbal Masih was a Pakistani activist who campaigned against child labor. He was murdered in 1995 at the age of 12, but his bravery and dedication to the cause left a lasting impact.
Iqbal Khan was a prominent Bangladeshi writer and novelist, known for his works that explored the complexities of life in post-colonial Bangladesh. He was born in 1924 and passed away in 1977.
Iqbal Theba is a Pakistani-American actor best known for his role as Principal Wilcox in the television series "Glee". He has also appeared in several films and TV shows, including "The Pursuit of Happyness" and "The Goldbergs".
The name Iqbal has also been found in various Islamic texts and religious scripts, further solidifying its significance in the Islamic world. It continues to be a popular choice for newborns in many Muslim communities, carrying the connotation of prosperity and good fortune.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Iqbal over time
The chart below shows babies named Iqbal 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 Iqbal, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 11 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Iqbal by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Iqbal 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 | #5055 | 6 | 2 |
| 2010s | #4488 | 13 | 4 |
| 2000s | #3173 | 28 | 7 |
| 1990s | #1609 | 30 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Iqbal
- 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
Iqbal: questions and answers
How popular is the name Iqbal in the UK right now?
In 2024, Iqbal was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Iqbal most popular?
The peak year on record was 1997, with 11 babies registered as Iqbal in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Iqbal?
A masculine Arabic name meaning "prosperity" or "abundance".
How many people are called Iqbal in the UK?
A total of 77 babies have been registered as Iqbal across the 17 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.