NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Maham

Of Pakistani origin meaning "great" or "glorious".

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.

Maham is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Maham popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1449, with 22 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 33 births.

This profile covers 480 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 67% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 490 living people in the UK are called Maham. 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

  • Maham ranked #1449 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 22 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2014, when 33 girls were registered as Maham.
  • Maham ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #808 in 2017.
  • About 490 living people in the UK are estimated to have Maham as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1449

2024

Births in 2024

22

Latest year

Peak year

2014

33 births

Estimated living

490

2026

Meaning

What does Maham mean?

The name Maham is of Persian origin and has its roots in the ancient Iranian language of Pahlavi. It is believed to have been derived from the word "mah," which means "moon" or "celestial body." The name has been in use since ancient times and has been associated with beauty, grace, and elegance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Maham can be found in the famous Persian epic, the Shahnameh, written by the renowned poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th century. In this epic, Maham is mentioned as the name of a beautiful and virtuous woman.

During the medieval period, the name Maham gained popularity among the Persian aristocracy and was often given to daughters of noble families. One notable historical figure with this name was Maham Anaga, who lived in the 16th century and was the chief wife of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. She played a significant role in the politics of the Mughal Empire and was known for her influence over Akbar's decisions.

In the 17th century, Maham Begum, the daughter of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, was another prominent figure who bore this name. She was known for her charitable work and her support for the arts and literature.

Moving forward to the 18th century, Maham Arus, a renowned Persian poet, gained recognition for her beautiful and profound poetry. Her works were widely appreciated and celebrated in the literary circles of her time.

In the 19th century, Maham Khan was a prominent military commander who served in the army of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the ruler of the Sikh Empire in Punjab. He was known for his bravery and strategic skills on the battlefield.

Throughout history, the name Maham has been associated with grace, beauty, and nobility, and it continues to be a popular choice for parents in various parts of the world, particularly in regions with Persian cultural influence.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Maham over time

The chart below shows babies named Maham 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 Maham, the clearest high point is 2014. The latest England and Wales figure is 22 births in 2024, compared with 33 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Maham
08172533199620102024

Decades

Maham by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Maham 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 #1565 97 5
2010s #1478 227 10
2000s #1707 131 10
1990s #2814 25 4

Geography

Where Maham is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Maham. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Maham ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #808 in 2017.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Maham in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#808 in 2017

4 years of NRS records, 12 total registered

Related

Names similar to Maham

FAQ

Maham: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Maham was ranked #1449 for girls in England and Wales, with 22 births registered.

When was Maham most popular?

The peak year on record was 2014, with 33 babies registered as Maham in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Maham?

Of Pakistani origin meaning "great" or "glorious".

How many people are called Maham in the UK?

A total of 480 babies have been registered as Maham across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 12 more in Scotland.

Where is Maham most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Maham ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #808 in 2017. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

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.