UK boy's name
Maahir
A masculine Arabic name meaning skilled, proficient, or adept.
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.
Maahir is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Maahir 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 2018, with 17 births.
This profile covers 146 England and Wales registrations across 18 recorded years from 2005 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 65% 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 Maahir. 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
- • Maahir ranked #2088 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 11 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2018, when 17 boys were registered as Maahir.
- • About 145 living people in the UK are estimated to have Maahir 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
2018
17 births
Estimated living
145
2026
Meaning
What does Maahir mean?
The name Maahir is an Arabic name derived from the root word "mihrah," which means "skilled" or "proficient." It is a masculine name that has been in use for centuries in the Middle East and parts of North Africa.
The earliest recorded usage of the name Maahir can be traced back to the 7th century CE, during the time of the Islamic conquest of the Middle East. It is believed that the name may have been inspired by the Islamic concept of "ihsan," which emphasizes the importance of striving for excellence in one's actions and deeds.
In Islamic literature, the name Maahir is mentioned in several texts, including the hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad) and the works of renowned Islamic scholars. Some scholars have suggested that the name may have been inspired by the Quranic verse that encourages believers to "strive for excellence in all that they do."
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Maahir. One of the earliest recorded examples is Maahir al-Basri (c. 642-728 CE), a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist from Basra, Iraq. He was known for his expertise in Quranic exegesis and Islamic jurisprudence.
Another famous bearer of the name was Maahir al-Dinawari (c. 828-896 CE), a Persian historian and botanist who lived during the Abbasid Caliphate. His work, "Kitab al-Nabat" (Book of Plants), is considered one of the earliest works on botany in the Islamic world.
In the 12th century, Maahir al-Sufi (c. 1160-1233 CE) was a prominent Sufi mystic and poet from Persia. His poetry and spiritual teachings were widely celebrated and influenced the development of Sufism in the region.
During the Ottoman Empire, Maahir Mustafa Pasha (c. 1590-1637 CE) was a renowned Ottoman statesman and military commander who served as the Grand Vizier (prime minister) under Sultan Murad IV.
In more recent times, Maahir Abdul-Qaadir (1932-2008) was a renowned Algerian scholar and Islamic thinker who played a significant role in the Algerian independence movement and the promotion of Islamic thought and education.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Maahir, a name that has come to symbolize skill, excellence, and a commitment to personal and spiritual growth.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Maahir over time
The chart below shows babies named Maahir registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2005 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 Maahir, the clearest high point is 2018. The latest England and Wales figure is 11 births in 2024, compared with 17 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Maahir by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Maahir 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 | #2364 | 45 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2623 | 82 | 9 |
| 2000s | #3268 | 19 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Maahir
- Matthew 80,931
- Mohammed 74,321
- Muhammad 72,235
- Max 59,807
- Michael 47,075
- Mason 38,935
- Mohammad 25,910
- Morgan 15,994
- Muhammed 11,527
- Mark 11,336
- Marcus 11,257
- Maxwell 10,006
FAQ
Maahir: questions and answers
How popular is the name Maahir in the UK right now?
In 2024, Maahir was ranked #2088 for boys in England and Wales, with 11 births registered.
When was Maahir most popular?
The peak year on record was 2018, with 17 babies registered as Maahir in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Maahir?
A masculine Arabic name meaning skilled, proficient, or adept.
How many people are called Maahir in the UK?
A total of 146 babies have been registered as Maahir 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.