UK boy's name
Mahad
A masculine Arabic name meaning "guide" or "leader".
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.
Mahad is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Mahad popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1517, with 17 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 26 births.
This profile covers 513 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 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 509 living people in the UK are called Mahad. 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
- • Mahad ranked #1517 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 17 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2009, when 26 boys were registered as Mahad.
- • About 509 living people in the UK are estimated to have Mahad as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1517
2024
Births in 2024
17
Latest year
Peak year
2009
26 births
Estimated living
509
2026
Meaning
What does Mahad mean?
The name Mahad is derived from the Arabic language and has its origins in the Middle East. It is believed to have emerged during the early Islamic period, around the 7th century AD.
Mahad is thought to be a variation or diminutive form of the Arabic name Muhammad, which means "praised" or "praiseworthy". The name Muhammad itself is rooted in the Arabic word "hamd", meaning "praise" or "gratitude".
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Mahad can be found in medieval Arabic literature and historical texts. It is known that there were several scholars and poets from the 9th to 11th centuries who bore this name.
Mahad al-Nahwi, also known as Abu al-Abbas al-Mahadi, was a renowned Arabic grammarian who lived in the 9th century AD (born around 810 AD). He made significant contributions to the study of Arabic grammar and authored several works on the subject.
In the 10th century, Mahad ibn Isa al-Hakim was a prominent Fatimid scholar and physician from Egypt. He is credited with writing several medical treatises and advancing the field of medicine during his time.
Another notable figure with the name Mahad was Mahad ibn Muslim al-Haddad, an Arab poet and philosopher from the 11th century. He was known for his philosophical works and his poetry, which explored themes of love, nature, and spirituality.
During the medieval period, the name Mahad also appeared in various historical records and chronicles, often associated with scholars, poets, and religious figures from the Arab world.
One of the earliest known examples of the name Mahad in a religious context is Mahad ibn Ali al-Qurashi, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad who lived in the 7th century AD. He is mentioned in several Islamic texts and traditions.
In more recent history, Mahad was the name of a prominent Somali religious leader and scholar, Sheikh Mahad Abdulle Hassan (1856-1920), who led a resistance movement against colonial rule in the early 20th century.
While the name Mahad has its roots in the Arabic language and Islamic culture, it has since been adopted and used in various parts of the world, particularly in regions with significant Muslim populations.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Mahad over time
The chart below shows babies named Mahad registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Mahad, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 17 births in 2024, compared with 26 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mahad by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Mahad 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 | #1489 | 86 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1367 | 186 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1095 | 185 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1055 | 56 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Mahad
- 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
Mahad: questions and answers
How popular is the name Mahad in the UK right now?
In 2024, Mahad was ranked #1517 for boys in England and Wales, with 17 births registered.
When was Mahad most popular?
The peak year on record was 2009, with 26 babies registered as Mahad in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Mahad?
A masculine Arabic name meaning "guide" or "leader".
How many people are called Mahad in the UK?
A total of 513 babies have been registered as Mahad across the 29 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.