NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Naeem

An Arabic name meaning blissful, delightful, or pleasurable.

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.

Naeem is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Naeem popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2443, with 9 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1998, with 28 births.

This profile covers 467 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 32% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 466 living people in the UK are called Naeem. 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

  • Naeem ranked #2443 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 9 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1998, when 28 boys were registered as Naeem.
  • Naeem ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #305 in 1980.
  • About 466 living people in the UK are estimated to have Naeem as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2443

2024

Births in 2024

9

Latest year

Peak year

1998

28 births

Estimated living

466

2026

Meaning

What does Naeem mean?

The name Naeem has its origins in the Arabic language and culture, with roots traced back to the 7th century CE. It is derived from the Arabic word 'na'eem,' which means 'blissful' or 'pleasant.' The name is often associated with concepts of joy, contentment, and tranquility.

In Islamic tradition, the name Naeem is mentioned in the Quran, the holy book of Islam, as one of the names of Paradise. It is used to describe the peaceful and blissful state of the righteous in the afterlife. This association has given the name a revered status among Muslims worldwide.

The earliest recorded use of the name Naeem can be found in historical records from the early Islamic period. One notable figure was Naeem ibn Masud, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad, who lived in the 7th century CE. He is known for his role in the conquest of Khaybar, a Jewish settlement in the Arabian Peninsula.

Throughout history, several prominent individuals have borne the name Naeem. One such figure was Naeem Frasheri (1846-1900), an Albanian writer, poet, and translator who played a significant role in the Albanian National Awakening movement. Another was Naeem Rashid (1977-2019), a Pakistani-born professor who lost his life while trying to disarm a gunman during the Christchurch mosque shootings in New Zealand.

Other notable individuals with the name Naeem include Naeem Khan (born 1958), an Indian-American fashion designer known for his glamorous evening wear; Naeem Ul Haque (born 1956), a Pakistani cricketer who played for the national team in the 1970s and 1980s; and Naeem Mohaiemen (born 1969), a Bangladeshi-American visual artist and writer whose work explores themes of migration and displacement.

The name Naeem has also been embraced by various cultures and communities beyond the Arabic-speaking world. It has gained popularity among Muslims in South Asia, particularly in Pakistan and Bangladesh, as well as in parts of Africa and Europe.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Naeem over time

The chart below shows babies named Naeem 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 Naeem, the clearest high point is 1998. The latest England and Wales figure is 9 births in 2024, compared with 28 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Naeem
07142128199620102024

Decades

Naeem by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Naeem 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 #2083 53 5
2010s #1733 142 10
2000s #1156 172 10
1990s #668 100 4

Geography

Where Naeem is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Naeem. 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.

Naeem ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #305 in 1980.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Naeem in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#305 in 1980

1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered

Related

Names similar to Naeem

FAQ

Naeem: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Naeem was ranked #2443 for boys in England and Wales, with 9 births registered.

When was Naeem most popular?

The peak year on record was 1998, with 28 babies registered as Naeem in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Naeem?

An Arabic name meaning blissful, delightful, or pleasurable.

How many people are called Naeem in the UK?

A total of 467 babies have been registered as Naeem across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.

Where is Naeem most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Naeem ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #305 in 1980. 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.