NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Nafis

A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "precious" or "valuable".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2011. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Nafis is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Nafis popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2011 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3830, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 6 births.

This profile covers 28 England and Wales registrations across 7 recorded years from 2000 to 2011. 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 67% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 28 living people in the UK are called Nafis. 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 2012 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Nafis ranked #3830 for boys in England and Wales in 2011, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2005, when 6 boys were registered as Nafis.
  • About 28 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nafis as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3830

2011

Births in 2011

4

Latest year

Peak year

2005

6 births

Estimated living

28

2026

Meaning

What does Nafis mean?

The name Nafis has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "nafis," which means "precious," "valuable," or "rare." The name is believed to have been in use since the early days of Islam, around the 7th century AD.

Nafis was a common name among Arabs during the medieval period, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa. It was often given to children as a way of expressing the parents' hope that their child would grow up to be a precious and valuable member of society.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nafis can be found in the writings of the famous Arab poet and philosopher Al-Mutanabbi (915-965 AD). In one of his poems, he refers to a person named Nafis, suggesting that the name was in use during that time period.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Nafis. One of the most famous was Nafis bin Iwaz Al-Kirmani (1210-1288 AD), a Persian physician and philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of anatomy and physiology. He is credited with being one of the first scholars to describe the pulmonary circulation system, which was a major breakthrough in medical knowledge at the time.

Another prominent figure with the name Nafis was Nafis Ahmad (1826-1896), an Indian Muslim writer and social reformer. He was a pioneer in promoting women's education and advocating for the abolition of practices such as child marriage and polygamy.

In the realm of literature, Nafis Sadik (1917-2017) was a renowned Pakistani writer and poet who wrote extensively in both Urdu and English. He was awarded the Pride of Performance, one of Pakistan's highest civilian honors, for his contributions to literature.

Nafis Sadullah (1942-2005) was a prominent Bangladeshi novelist and short story writer. His works often explored the themes of social injustice, poverty, and the struggles of the working class. He received numerous literary awards and accolades during his lifetime.

Another notable bearer of the name was Nafis Ullah Khan (1948-2009), a Pakistani nuclear scientist who played a pivotal role in the country's nuclear program. He was awarded the Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan's highest civilian honor, for his contributions to the field of nuclear physics.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Nafis over time

The chart below shows babies named Nafis registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2000 to 2011. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Nafis, the clearest high point is 2005. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2011, compared with 6 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Nafis
02356200020052011

Decades

Nafis by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nafis 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
2010s #3830 4 1
2000s #3246 24 6

Related

Names similar to Nafis

FAQ

Nafis: questions and answers

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

In 2011, Nafis was ranked #3830 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Nafis most popular?

The peak year on record was 2005, with 6 babies registered as Nafis in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Nafis?

A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "precious" or "valuable".

How many people are called Nafis in the UK?

A total of 28 babies have been registered as Nafis across the 7 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.