NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Khalifa

Of Arabic origin, representing a successor or deputy.

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.

Khalifa is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Khalifa popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1162, with 24 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 24 births.

This profile covers 240 England and Wales registrations across 23 recorded years from 1998 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.

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

We estimate that about 239 living people in the UK are called Khalifa. 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

  • Khalifa ranked #1162 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 24 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2024, when 24 boys were registered as Khalifa.
  • About 239 living people in the UK are estimated to have Khalifa as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1162

2024

Births in 2024

24

Latest year

Peak year

2024

24 births

Estimated living

239

2026

Meaning

What does Khalifa mean?

The name Khalifa originated from the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "Khalifa" meaning "successor" or "deputy." The name has been in use since ancient times in the Middle East and among Muslim communities.

Khalifa was a title given to the successors of the Prophet Muhammad, who led the Muslim community after his death. The first four caliphs, known as the Rashidun Caliphs, were Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali, who ruled from 632 to 661 CE.

The name Khalifa is mentioned in several Islamic texts and scriptures, including the Quran and the Hadith, which are the primary sources of Islamic teachings. It is associated with leadership, authority, and the continuation of the Prophet's legacy.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Khalifa can be found in the historical accounts of the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled from 750 to 1258 CE. Several Abbasid caliphs bore the name Khalifa, such as Al-Mu'tazz Billah (838-869 CE) and Al-Muktafi Billah (867-869 CE).

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the name Khalifa. One of the most famous was Khalifa ibn Khayyat, an Arab historian who lived in the 9th century CE and wrote an influential work on the history of Islam.

Another notable figure was Khalifa al-Nahlawi, a 12th-century Andalusian poet and scholar who made significant contributions to Arabic literature and culture.

In the modern era, one of the most well-known individuals with the name Khalifa was Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the former president of the United Arab Emirates, who ruled from 2004 until his death in 2022.

Khalifa Haftar, a Libyan military officer and the current commander of the Libyan National Army, is another prominent figure with this name.

Khalifa Sall, a Senegalese politician and former mayor of Dakar, the capital of Senegal, is another notable example of someone bearing the name Khalifa.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Khalifa over time

The chart below shows babies named Khalifa registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 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 Khalifa, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 24 births in 2024, compared with 24 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Khalifa
06121824199820112024

Decades

Khalifa by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Khalifa 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 #1654 78 5
2010s #1833 120 9
2000s #2981 33 7
1990s #2376 9 2

Related

Names similar to Khalifa

FAQ

Khalifa: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Khalifa was ranked #1162 for boys in England and Wales, with 24 births registered.

When was Khalifa most popular?

The peak year on record was 2024, with 24 babies registered as Khalifa in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Khalifa?

Of Arabic origin, representing a successor or deputy.

How many people are called Khalifa in the UK?

A total of 240 babies have been registered as Khalifa across the 23 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.