UK girl's name
Meerub
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "fragrant" or "sweet-smelling".
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.
Meerub is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Meerub popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5669, 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 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 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 Meerub. 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
- • Meerub ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales in 2022, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2016, when 3 girls were registered as Meerub.
- • About 9 living people in the UK are estimated to have Meerub as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5669
2022
Births in 2022
3
Latest year
Peak year
2016
3 births
Estimated living
9
2026
Meaning
What does Meerub mean?
The name Meerub is an ancient Arabic name with roots dating back to the 7th century CE. It is derived from the Arabic word "meer," which means "prince" or "leader," and "rub," which means "lord" or "master." The name is believed to have originated in the Arabian Peninsula during the early Islamic era.
Meerub was a relatively uncommon name in ancient times, but it gained popularity among the Arab nobility and ruling classes. One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name is found in the writings of the renowned Islamic scholar and historian, Al-Tabari, who lived from 839 to 923 CE. In his historical chronicles, he references a minor ruler named Meerub ibn Khaled, who governed a small principality in present-day Yemen during the 8th century.
The name Meerub also appears in several ancient Arabic poems and literary works, often used to refer to brave warriors or respected leaders. One notable example is the epic poem "Sirat Antar," which tells the story of the legendary Arab hero, Antar ibn Shaddad. In the poem, Meerub is mentioned as the name of one of Antar's closest companions and trusted advisors.
Throughout history, a few notable individuals have borne the name Meerub. One of the earliest was Meerub al-Kindi, a renowned Arab mathematician and philosopher who lived in the 9th century CE. He made significant contributions to the fields of optics, physics, and metaphysics, and his works were widely studied in the Islamic world and later translated into Latin, influencing European scholars during the Renaissance.
Another historical figure named Meerub was Meerub ibn Abi Dinar, a prominent Islamic jurist and legal scholar who lived in the 10th century CE. He was a respected authority on Islamic law and authored several influential treatises on various legal topics.
In the 12th century, Meerub ibn Rashid al-Hadrami was a notable Arab navigator and explorer who sailed the Indian Ocean and visited various ports in East Africa and the Arabian Sea. His travel accounts and navigational charts were highly regarded and contributed to the development of maritime trade and exploration in the region.
During the 14th century, Meerub al-Bukhari was a renowned Islamic theologian and scholar from Central Asia. He wrote extensively on Islamic theology, philosophy, and Sufism, and his works were widely studied in madrasas (Islamic schools) across the Middle East and Central Asia.
While not a common name in modern times, Meerub has a rich historical legacy and reflects the cultural and intellectual traditions of the Arab and Islamic world throughout the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Meerub over time
The chart below shows babies named Meerub registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2016 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 Meerub, the clearest high point is 2016. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2022, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Meerub by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Meerub 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 | #5669 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #5775 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Meerub
- Megan 70,884
- Mia 67,204
- Molly 47,734
- Millie 44,390
- Maisie 32,671
- Matilda 29,965
- Maya 26,445
- Madison 18,441
- Maria 17,304
- Mollie 15,914
- Martha 15,116
- Maddison 14,918
FAQ
Meerub: questions and answers
How popular is the name Meerub in the UK right now?
In 2022, Meerub was ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Meerub most popular?
The peak year on record was 2016, with 3 babies registered as Meerub in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Meerub?
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "fragrant" or "sweet-smelling".
How many people are called Meerub in the UK?
A total of 9 babies have been registered as Meerub 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.