UK name, mostly girls
Nurul
A feminine Arabic name meaning "light" or "radiance".
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.
Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 24 boys.
Nurul is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Nurul popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2011 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4049, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 11 births.
This profile covers 61 England and Wales registrations across 13 recorded years from 1996 to 2011. 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 45% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 70 living people in the UK are called Nurul. 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
- • Nurul ranked #4049 for girls in England and Wales in 2011, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1997, when 11 girls were registered as Nurul.
- • Nurul ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #664 in 1998.
- • Nurul is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 70 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nurul as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 71.8% of Nurul registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4049
2011
Births in 2011
5
Latest year
Peak year
1997
11 births
Estimated living
70
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Nurul
In England and Wales birth records, Nurul has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 28.2% of registrations are for boys and 71.8% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Nurul registered for boys
- Ranked #3,895 in 2014
- 4 boys registered in 2014
- Peak: 1999 (6 births)
Nurul registered for girls
- Ranked #4,049 in 2011
- 5 girls registered in 2011
- Peak: 1997 (11 births)
Meaning
What does Nurul mean?
The name Nurul has its origins in the Arabic language and Islamic culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "nur," which means "light" or "radiance." The name is often given to girls, and its meaning symbolizes enlightenment, brightness, and purity.
The earliest recorded use of the name Nurul can be traced back to the 7th century, during the time of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the revelation of the Quran. The Quran contains several references to the concept of "nur," often associated with divine guidance, knowledge, and spiritual enlightenment. As a result, the name Nurul gained significance among Muslim communities worldwide.
One of the earliest notable figures with the name Nurul was Nurul Ain, a 13th-century female Sufi mystic from Anatolia, known for her poetry and spiritual teachings. Another historical figure was Nurul Huda, a 16th-century Islamic scholar from Bengal, renowned for his contributions to Islamic jurisprudence and education.
In the 19th century, Nurul Islam was a prominent Bengali writer and social reformer who advocated for women's education and the abolition of outdated social practices. His literary works played a significant role in the Bengal Renaissance movement.
Moving to the 20th century, Nurul Amin was a renowned Bangladeshi poet and writer, often regarded as the "rebel poet" for his unconventional literary style and social commentary. He was born in 1893 and his works continue to influence contemporary Bengali literature.
Another notable figure was Nurul Hasan, a Pakistani diplomat and scholar who served as the United Nations Secretary-General from 1968 to 1969. He was born in 1919 and made significant contributions to international relations and diplomacy.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the name Nurul throughout history, each leaving an indelible mark in their respective fields and cultural contexts.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Nurul over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Nurul in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2014. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Nurul, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2011, compared with 11 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nurul by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nurul 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 | #4049 | 5 | 1 |
| 2000s | #3871 | 32 | 8 |
| 1990s | #2734 | 24 | 4 |
Geography
Where Nurul is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Nurul. 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.
Nurul ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #664 in 1998.
Across the UK
Nurul in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#664 in 1998
3 years of NRS records, 10 total registered
Related
Names similar to Nurul
- Niamh 20,347
- Nicole 19,687
- Natasha 15,578
- Nancy 12,607
- Naomi 12,199
- Natalie 10,885
- Nevaeh 7,869
- Nina 7,285
- Neve 7,180
- Natalia 7,099
- Nadia 6,032
- Nicola 4,927
FAQ
Nurul: questions and answers
How popular is the name Nurul in the UK right now?
In 2011, Nurul was ranked #4049 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Nurul most popular?
The peak year on record was 1997, with 11 babies registered as Nurul in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Nurul?
A feminine Arabic name meaning "light" or "radiance".
How many people are called Nurul in the UK?
A total of 61 babies have been registered as Nurul across the 13 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 10 more in Scotland.
Where is Nurul most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Nurul ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #664 in 1998. 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.