NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Jaafar

A name of Arabic origin meaning "stream" or "small river".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Jaafar is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Jaafar popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3996, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2017, with 4 births.

This profile covers 13 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 2000 to 2017. 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.

Jaafar is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 13 living people in the UK are called Jaafar. 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 2018 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Jaafar ranked #3996 for boys in England and Wales in 2017, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2017, when 4 boys were registered as Jaafar.
  • About 13 living people in the UK are estimated to have Jaafar as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3996

2017

Births in 2017

4

Latest year

Peak year

2017

4 births

Estimated living

13

2026

Meaning

What does Jaafar mean?

The name Jaafar has its origins in the Arabic language and culture, dating back to the 7th century CE. It is derived from the Arabic root word "j-f-r," which means "small stream" or "rivulet." The name is believed to be connected to the concept of purity, freshness, and rejuvenation, reflecting the cleansing properties of water.

Jaafar is a name mentioned in the Quran, the holy book of Islam. It is believed to be the name of one of the companions of Prophet Muhammad, Jaafar ibn Abi Talib, who was also the brother of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth caliph of Islam. Jaafar ibn Abi Talib was a revered figure in Islamic history, known for his bravery, devotion, and sacrifice during the early days of Islam.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Jaafar can be found in the historical accounts of the Islamic conquest of the Persian Empire in the 7th century CE. Jaafar ibn Abi Talib played a significant role in these conquests and is celebrated as a prominent figure in Islamic literature and poetry.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Jaafar. One of the most famous was Jaafar al-Sadiq (702-765 CE), the sixth Imam of Shia Islam and a renowned scholar of Islamic jurisprudence and theology. His teachings and interpretations of the Quran and Hadith (sayings of Prophet Muhammad) have had a lasting impact on Islamic thought and philosophy.

Another prominent figure was Jaafar al-Barmaki (767-808 CE), a member of the influential Barmakid family during the Abbasid Caliphate. He served as a vizier (chief minister) under the caliph Harun al-Rashid and played a crucial role in the cultural and intellectual renaissance of the Islamic Golden Age.

In the realm of literature, Jaafar ibn Muhammad al-Muqaddasi (945-1000 CE) was a renowned Arab geographer and travel writer. His work, "The Best Divisions for Knowledge of the Regions," is considered a seminal text in the field of geography and provided invaluable insights into the geography, culture, and society of the Islamic world during the 10th century.

Jaafar Khan Zand (1714-1789) was a prominent Persian ruler who founded the Zand dynasty in Iran. He is remembered for his efforts to revive Persian culture and literature, as well as for his military campaigns against the Ottoman Empire and the Durrani Empire.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Jaafar throughout history, reflecting its deep-rooted cultural and religious significance in the Arabic and Islamic traditions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Jaafar over time

The chart below shows babies named Jaafar registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2000 to 2017. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Jaafar, the clearest high point is 2017. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2017, compared with 4 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Jaafar
01234200020082017

Decades

Jaafar by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Jaafar 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
2010s #4341 7 2
2000s #3685 6 2

Related

Names similar to Jaafar

FAQ

Jaafar: questions and answers

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

In 2017, Jaafar was ranked #3996 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Jaafar most popular?

The peak year on record was 2017, with 4 babies registered as Jaafar in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Jaafar?

A name of Arabic origin meaning "stream" or "small river".

How many people are called Jaafar in the UK?

A total of 13 babies have been registered as Jaafar across the 4 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.