UK boy's name
Nahum
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "comforter" or "consoler".
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.
Nahum is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Nahum popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5119, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2006, with 10 births.
This profile covers 164 England and Wales registrations across 26 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. 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 30% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 163 living people in the UK are called Nahum. 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
- • Nahum ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2006, when 10 boys were registered as Nahum.
- • About 163 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nahum as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5119
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2006
10 births
Estimated living
163
2026
Meaning
What does Nahum mean?
The name Nahum is derived from the Hebrew name נַחוּם (Nahum), which means "comforter" or "consoler". It is of Biblical origin, appearing in the Old Testament as the name of the Hebrew prophet Nahum, who authored the Book of Nahum.
The Book of Nahum, written around 615 BC, is a prophetic text that foretells the downfall of the Assyrian Empire and the destruction of its capital, Nineveh. The prophet Nahum is believed to have lived in the Kingdom of Judah during the reign of King Josiah.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Nahum can be found in the Bible itself, with the prophet Nahum. Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore this name.
Nahum Tate (1652-1715) was an English poet laureate and playwright. He is best known for collaborating with Nicholas Brady on the famous metrical version of the Psalms, known as the "New Version" or "Tate and Brady Psalms".
Nahum Sokolow (1859-1936) was a prominent Zionist leader and author. He played a significant role in the early days of the Zionist movement and served as the president of the World Zionist Organization from 1931 to 1935.
Nahum Stelmakh (1929-2009) was a renowned Ukrainian writer and playwright. He is considered one of the most influential figures in Ukrainian literature of the 20th century, known for his novels, short stories, and plays that explored themes of rural life and the human condition.
Nahum Goldmann (1895-1982) was a leading Zionist statesman and the founder of the World Jewish Congress. He played a crucial role in the establishment of the State of Israel and served as the president of the World Zionist Organization from 1956 to 1968.
Nahum Norbert Glatzer (1903-1990) was a renowned Jewish scholar and author. He made significant contributions to the study of Jewish thought and philosophy, publishing numerous works on topics such as Hasidism, Kabbalah, and Jewish mysticism.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Nahum over time
The chart below shows babies named Nahum 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 Nahum, the clearest high point is 2006. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 10 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nahum by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nahum 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 | #4227 | 8 | 2 |
| 2010s | #3357 | 60 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2131 | 75 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2013 | 21 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Nahum
- Noah 72,596
- Nathan 46,860
- Nicholas 15,983
- Nathaniel 12,151
- Niall 5,746
- Nicolas 3,825
- Nico 3,532
- Nate 2,029
- Nikodem 1,872
- Noel 1,865
- Ned 1,614
- Neo 1,563
FAQ
Nahum: questions and answers
How popular is the name Nahum in the UK right now?
In 2024, Nahum was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Nahum most popular?
The peak year on record was 2006, with 10 babies registered as Nahum in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Nahum?
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "comforter" or "consoler".
How many people are called Nahum in the UK?
A total of 164 babies have been registered as Nahum across the 26 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.