NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Mahd

Arabic name meaning "guided one" or "rightly guided".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2020. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Mahd is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Mahd popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2960, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2011, with 6 births.

This profile covers 44 England and Wales registrations across 10 recorded years from 2008 to 2020. 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 44 living people in the UK are called Mahd. 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 2021 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Mahd ranked #2960 for boys in England and Wales in 2020, with 6 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2011, when 6 boys were registered as Mahd.
  • About 44 living people in the UK are estimated to have Mahd as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2960

2020

Births in 2020

6

Latest year

Peak year

2011

6 births

Estimated living

44

2026

Meaning

What does Mahd mean?

The name Mahd is an Arabic given name that has its roots in the ancient Semitic languages. It is believed to have originated from the Arabic word "mahd," which means "cradle" or "crib." This name carries a sense of gentleness, nurturing, and protection, symbolic of the safety and warmth provided by a cradle.

Historically, the name Mahd can be traced back to the early Islamic era, around the 7th century CE. During this time, it was common for Arabic names to carry meanings related to virtue, piety, or natural elements, reflecting the cultural and religious values of the region.

In the historical records, one of the earliest notable figures bearing the name Mahd was Mahd ibn al-Haytham al-Kindi, a prominent Arab mathematician and philosopher who lived in the 9th century CE. He made significant contributions to the fields of optics, mathematics, and philosophy, and his works were widely studied and influential during the Islamic Golden Age.

Another historical figure with the name Mahd was Mahd ibn Jarir al-Tabari, a renowned Islamic scholar and historian who lived from 838 CE to 923 CE. He is best known for his monumental work, "The History of the Prophets and Kings," which chronicled the history of the world from the creation to his own time. This work is considered a seminal text in Islamic historiography and is highly regarded for its historical accuracy and attention to detail.

In the 11th century CE, Mahd ibn Ali al-Karkhi was a prominent Islamic scholar and jurist from Baghdad. He was renowned for his expertise in Islamic jurisprudence and played a significant role in shaping the legal traditions of the Shafi'i school of Sunni Islamic thought.

During the 12th century CE, Mahd al-Din al-Baghdadi was a celebrated Sufi mystic and poet from Baghdad. His poetic works, often imbued with spiritual themes and mystical imagery, were widely admired and influential in the Sufi literary tradition.

Another notable figure bearing the name Mahd was Mahd ibn Ali al-Katib, a renowned Arab calligrapher and poet who lived in the 13th century CE. He was praised for his mastery of the Arabic script and his contributions to the art of calligraphy, which was highly revered in the Islamic world.

These are just a few examples of historical figures who carried the name Mahd, demonstrating its longstanding presence and significance within the Arabic and Islamic cultural spheres. While the name may have evolved and taken on different forms and connotations over time, its roots remain deeply embedded in the rich linguistic and cultural heritage of the Middle East.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Mahd over time

The chart below shows babies named Mahd registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2008 to 2020. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Mahd, the clearest high point is 2011. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2020, compared with 6 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Mahd
02356200820142020

Decades

Mahd by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Mahd 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 #2960 6 1
2010s #3918 30 7
2000s #3716 8 2

Related

Names similar to Mahd

FAQ

Mahd: questions and answers

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

In 2020, Mahd was ranked #2960 for boys in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.

When was Mahd most popular?

The peak year on record was 2011, with 6 babies registered as Mahd in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Mahd?

Arabic name meaning "guided one" or "rightly guided".

How many people are called Mahd in the UK?

A total of 44 babies have been registered as Mahd across the 10 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.