UK boy's name
Iyad
An Arabic masculine name meaning "on the increase" or "augmenting".
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.
Iyad is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Iyad popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2088, with 11 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 15 births.
This profile covers 146 England and Wales registrations across 18 recorded years from 2007 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 73% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 145 living people in the UK are called Iyad. 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
- • Iyad ranked #2088 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 11 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 15 boys were registered as Iyad.
- • About 145 living people in the UK are estimated to have Iyad as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2088
2024
Births in 2024
11
Latest year
Peak year
2023
15 births
Estimated living
145
2026
Meaning
What does Iyad mean?
The name Iyad is of Arabic origin, derived from the root word "ayd," which means "to return" or "to repeat." It is believed to have emerged during the early Islamic period, around the 7th century CE, in the Arabian Peninsula.
The name Iyad is often associated with the concept of celebration and joy, as it is commonly used to commemorate religious festivals and occasions in the Islamic tradition. It is also believed to have a connection to the Arabic word "Eid," which refers to the two major Islamic festivals, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Iyad can be found in the works of the renowned Islamic scholar and judge, Iyad ibn Musa al-Qadi al-Yahsubi (1083-1149 CE). He was a prominent figure in the Maliki school of Islamic jurisprudence and authored several influential works on hadith (prophetic traditions) and fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence).
Another notable figure bearing the name Iyad was Iyad ibn Ghanm (870-949 CE), a celebrated Arab poet and literary critic from Andalusia (modern-day Spain). His poetic works were widely acclaimed during his lifetime and continue to be studied and appreciated by scholars and lovers of Arabic literature.
In the 13th century, Iyad ibn Musa al-Yahsubi (1164-1240 CE), a Moroccan scholar and jurist, gained recognition for his contributions to the field of Islamic law and theology. His work, "Al-Shifa bi Ta'rif Huquq al-Mustafa" (The Healing by the Recognition of the Apostolic Rights), a biographical work on the life of Prophet Muhammad, is considered a masterpiece of Islamic literature.
During the Ottoman Empire, Iyad Pasha (1590-1647 CE) was a prominent military leader and statesman who served as the governor of several provinces, including Damascus and Aleppo. He was known for his military campaigns against the Safavid Empire and his efforts in reforming the administration of the Ottoman territories under his governance.
More recently, Iyad Allawi (born in 1944 CE) is an Iraqi politician and former Prime Minister of Iraq. He played a significant role in the post-Saddam Hussein era and was involved in the reconstruction efforts in Iraq after the 2003 invasion.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Iyad, highlighting its rich cultural and historical significance within the Arabic and Islamic traditions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Iyad over time
The chart below shows babies named Iyad registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2007 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 Iyad, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 11 births in 2024, compared with 15 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Iyad by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Iyad 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 | #2029 | 57 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2712 | 74 | 10 |
| 2000s | #3273 | 15 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Iyad
- 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
Iyad: questions and answers
How popular is the name Iyad in the UK right now?
In 2024, Iyad was ranked #2088 for boys in England and Wales, with 11 births registered.
When was Iyad most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 15 babies registered as Iyad in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Iyad?
An Arabic masculine name meaning "on the increase" or "augmenting".
How many people are called Iyad in the UK?
A total of 146 babies have been registered as Iyad across the 18 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.