UK boy's name
Ishaaq
An Arabic name derived from Hebrew meaning "he will laugh".
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.
Ishaaq is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Ishaaq popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #945, with 42 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 55 births.
This profile covers 762 England and Wales registrations across 27 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 76% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 757 living people in the UK are called Ishaaq. 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
- • Ishaaq ranked #945 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 42 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2021, when 55 boys were registered as Ishaaq.
- • About 757 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ishaaq as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#945
2024
Births in 2024
42
Latest year
Peak year
2021
55 births
Estimated living
757
2026
Meaning
What does Ishaaq mean?
The name Ishaaq has its origins in the Arabic language and culture, tracing back to the 7th century CE. It is derived from the Semitic root word "ḍ-ḥ-k," which means "to laugh" or "to rejoice." The name Ishaaq is a variant spelling of the name Isaac, which has Biblical roots and is found in the Old Testament.
One of the earliest and most significant references to the name Ishaaq is in the Quran, the central religious text of Islam. In the Quran, Ishaaq is mentioned as the son of the prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) and his wife Sarah. According to Islamic tradition, Ishaaq was born miraculously to his elderly parents and was considered a gift from God.
The name Ishaaq has been used throughout history by various individuals of Arab and Islamic descent. One of the earliest recorded examples is Ishaaq ibn Hunayn (808-873 CE), a renowned Nestorian Christian scholar and translator who played a crucial role in the transmission of Greek knowledge to the Islamic world during the Abbasid caliphate.
Another notable figure bearing the name Ishaaq was Ishaaq ibn Amran (9th century CE), a renowned mathematician and astronomer from Baghdad. He made significant contributions to the field of mathematics, including the development of advanced trigonometric methods and the calculation of planetary positions.
In the 12th century, Ishaaq ibn Rahwayh (778-853 CE) was a prominent Islamic scholar and hadith collector from Nishapur, Iran. He was renowned for his vast knowledge of hadith (the sayings and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad) and his dedication to preserving and transmitting these teachings.
During the 13th century, Ishaaq al-Israili (832-932 CE) was a celebrated Jewish philosopher and physician from Egypt. He made significant contributions to the field of medicine and is considered one of the most influential Jewish scholars of the medieval period.
Another notable individual with the name Ishaaq was Ishaaq ibn Ibrahim al-Naqib (1213-1283 CE), a Sufi mystic and poet from Damascus, Syria. His poetic works, infused with spiritual themes and mystical symbolism, have left a lasting impact on Arabic literature.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the name Ishaaq, a name that carries rich cultural and religious significance, particularly within the Arab and Islamic traditions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Ishaaq over time
The chart below shows babies named Ishaaq 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 Ishaaq, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 42 births in 2024, compared with 55 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ishaaq by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ishaaq 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 | #848 | 229 | 5 |
| 2010s | #949 | 381 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1465 | 139 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1763 | 13 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Ishaaq
- 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
Ishaaq: questions and answers
How popular is the name Ishaaq in the UK right now?
In 2024, Ishaaq was ranked #945 for boys in England and Wales, with 42 births registered.
When was Ishaaq most popular?
The peak year on record was 2021, with 55 babies registered as Ishaaq in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Ishaaq?
An Arabic name derived from Hebrew meaning "he will laugh".
How many people are called Ishaaq in the UK?
A total of 762 babies have been registered as Ishaaq across the 27 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.