NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Madyan

A masculinename of Arabic origin meaning "land of passage".

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.

Madyan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Madyan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5119, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2016, with 3 births.

This profile covers 9 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2016 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 9 living people in the UK are called Madyan. 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

  • Madyan ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2016, when 3 boys were registered as Madyan.
  • About 9 living people in the UK are estimated to have Madyan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5119

2024

Births in 2024

3

Latest year

Peak year

2016

3 births

Estimated living

9

2026

Meaning

What does Madyan mean?

The given name Madyan is derived from the Arabic language and has its origins in the Quran, the central religious text of Islam. It is believed to be a reference to the ancient town of Madyan, which is mentioned in the Quran and is associated with the Prophet Shuaib.

In the Quran, the people of Madyan are described as a community who rejected the teachings of Prophet Shuaib and were subsequently destroyed by a natural disaster as a punishment for their disbelief. The name Madyan is therefore deeply rooted in the Islamic religious tradition and holds significant symbolic meaning for Muslims.

The earliest recorded use of the name Madyan can be traced back to the 7th century CE, during the time of the Prophet Muhammad and the revelation of the Quran. It is possible that some of the early followers of Islam adopted the name Madyan as a way of honoring the story of Prophet Shuaib and the people of Madyan.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Madyan. One of the earliest known figures was Madyan ibn Abi Sufyan (born around 630 CE), a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and a prominent military leader during the early Islamic conquests.

Another notable bearer of the name was Madyan al-Nabulsi (1641-1718), a renowned Sufi scholar and poet from Damascus, who wrote extensively on Islamic mysticism and spiritual practices.

In more recent times, Madyan al-Jahni (1889-1969) was a prominent Saudi Arabian politician and diplomat who served as the first ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the United States in the 1940s.

Madyan Abdallah (1933-2012) was a Sudanese writer and academic who made significant contributions to the study of Arabic literature and Islamic thought.

Madyan Yazdani (born 1964) is an Iranian-American artist and sculptor known for his large-scale public installations and works that explore themes of identity, migration, and cultural fusion.

It is worth noting that while the name Madyan has deep historical and religious connections, its usage has not been limited to any particular geographic region or cultural group. It has been adopted by Muslims across various parts of the world, reflecting the global reach and impact of Islamic culture and traditions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Madyan over time

The chart below shows babies named Madyan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2016 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 Madyan, the clearest high point is 2016. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 3 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Madyan
01223201620202024

Decades

Madyan by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Madyan 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 #4954 6 2
2010s #4810 3 1

Related

Names similar to Madyan

FAQ

Madyan: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Madyan was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Madyan most popular?

The peak year on record was 2016, with 3 babies registered as Madyan in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Madyan?

A masculinename of Arabic origin meaning "land of passage".

How many people are called Madyan in the UK?

A total of 9 babies have been registered as Madyan across the 3 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.