UK boy's name
Obaid
A masculine Arabic name meaning "worshipper" or "servant of Allah".
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.
Obaid is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Obaid 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 2008, with 10 births.
This profile covers 68 England and Wales registrations across 16 recorded years from 1998 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 67 living people in the UK are called Obaid. 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
- • Obaid ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2008, when 10 boys were registered as Obaid.
- • About 67 living people in the UK are estimated to have Obaid 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
2008
10 births
Estimated living
67
2026
Meaning
What does Obaid mean?
The name Obaid has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic root word "Abd," which means "servant" or "worshipper." The name Obaid is a combination of this root word and the word "Allah," the Arabic word for God, meaning "servant of Allah" or "worshipper of Allah."
The name Obaid has a long history in the Arab world and can be traced back to the early days of Islam. It was a popular name among Muslims, as it reflected their devotion to their faith and their belief in serving and worshipping God.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Obaid can be found in the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam. The name is mentioned in reference to a companion of the Prophet Muhammad, known as Obaid ibn al-Samit. He was a scribe who recorded revelations and played a significant role in the preservation of the Qur'an.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Obaid. One of the most prominent was Obaid Allah ibn Jahsh, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad who lived in the 7th century CE. He was known for his bravery and his commitment to the Islamic faith.
Another famous bearer of the name was Obaid Allah ibn Ziyad, a prominent governor and military leader who lived in the 7th century CE. He played a crucial role in the expansion of the Umayyad Caliphate and was known for his military prowess and administrative skills.
In the 9th century CE, Obaid Allah ibn Sulayman al-Marwazi was a renowned scholar and mathematician. He made significant contributions to the field of mathematics and authored several important works on the subject.
During the 11th century CE, Obaid Allah ibn Mas'ud al-Balkhi was a renowned Persian poet and scholar. He is known for his works in the field of literature and philosophy, and his poetry is widely celebrated in the Persian literary tradition.
Another notable figure with the name Obaid was Obaid Allah ibn Khurdadbih, a 9th-century Persian geographer and historian. He is best known for his work "Al-Masalik wa'l-Mamalik" (The Book of Roads and Kingdoms), which provided valuable insights into the geography and history of the region.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Obaid over time
The chart below shows babies named Obaid registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 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 Obaid, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 10 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Obaid by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Obaid 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 | #4954 | 6 | 2 |
| 2010s | #4017 | 25 | 6 |
| 2000s | #2996 | 30 | 6 |
| 1990s | #2681 | 7 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Obaid
- Oliver 157,197
- Oscar 67,495
- Owen 33,517
- Ollie 13,193
- Oakley 9,838
- Omar 6,823
- Otis 6,395
- Oskar 4,827
- Olly 4,403
- Otto 3,839
- Osian 3,145
- Owain 2,310
FAQ
Obaid: questions and answers
How popular is the name Obaid in the UK right now?
In 2024, Obaid was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Obaid most popular?
The peak year on record was 2008, with 10 babies registered as Obaid in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Obaid?
A masculine Arabic name meaning "worshipper" or "servant of Allah".
How many people are called Obaid in the UK?
A total of 68 babies have been registered as Obaid across the 16 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.