UK boy's name
Masih
An Arabic masculine name derived from "Masih" meaning anointed, Messiah.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Masih is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Masih popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4789, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 4 births.
This profile covers 13 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 2009 to 2022. 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 13 living people in the UK are called Masih. 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 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Masih ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales in 2022, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2009, when 4 boys were registered as Masih.
- • About 13 living people in the UK are estimated to have Masih as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4789
2022
Births in 2022
3
Latest year
Peak year
2009
4 births
Estimated living
13
2026
Meaning
What does Masih mean?
The name Masih has its origins in the Arabic language and is derived from the word "Masih" which means "Messiah" or "Anointed One". This name has a strong religious and historical significance, particularly in the Islamic and Christian traditions.
The name Masih is closely associated with the Islamic belief in the Messiah, who is known as the Mahdi or the Guided One. In Islamic eschatology, the Mahdi is believed to be the prophesied redeemer who will establish justice and peace on Earth before the end of times.
In the Christian tradition, the word "Messiah" is used to refer to Jesus Christ, the central figure of Christianity. The name Masih is sometimes used by Arabic-speaking Christians to refer to Jesus, highlighting the connection between the Arabic and Aramaic languages in the region where Christianity originated.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Masih can be found in the Quran, the holy book of Islam. The name is mentioned in several verses, including Surah Al-Imran (3:45) and Surah An-Nisa (4:171), where it is used in reference to Jesus.
Throughout history, there have been several prominent figures who bore the name Masih. One notable example is Masih ad-Dajjal, a figure in Islamic eschatology who is believed to be the false Messiah or the Antichrist. Another important figure is Masih Ali Khan (1766-1824), a Nawab of Rampur in British India who was known for his patronage of art and architecture.
Al-Masih al-Dajjal is a figure mentioned in Islamic hadith literature, which describes him as the false Messiah who will appear before the end of times. He is described as a deceiver who will lead people astray before being defeated by the true Messiah, the Mahdi.
In the Bahai faith, the name Masih is sometimes used to refer to Mirza Husayn Ali Nuri, also known as Baha'u'llah (1817-1892), the founder of the Bahai religion. He is believed by Bahais to be the promised Messiah and the fulfillment of the prophecies of all previous religions.
Another notable figure with the name Masih is Masih Mikhail Rida (1835-1888), an Egyptian writer and intellectual who was a pioneer of the Nahda (Renaissance) movement in the Arab world. He was a prominent advocate for modernization and reform in the Ottoman Empire.
These are just a few examples of the historical and religious significance of the name Masih, which has been borne by influential figures across various cultures and faiths throughout history.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Masih over time
The chart below shows babies named Masih registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2009 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Masih, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2022, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Masih by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Masih 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 | #4789 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4781 | 6 | 2 |
| 2000s | #3744 | 4 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Masih
- 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
Masih: questions and answers
How popular is the name Masih in the UK right now?
In 2022, Masih was ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Masih most popular?
The peak year on record was 2009, with 4 babies registered as Masih in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Masih?
An Arabic masculine name derived from "Masih" meaning anointed, Messiah.
How many people are called Masih in the UK?
A total of 13 babies have been registered as Masih across the 4 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.