NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Omar

A masculine Arabic name meaning "long-lived" or "prosperous".

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.

Omar is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Omar popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #175, with 290 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 290 births.

This profile covers 6,823 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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.

Omar is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 7,274 living people in the UK are called Omar. 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

  • Omar ranked #175 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 290 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2024, when 290 boys were registered as Omar.
  • Omar ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #278 in 2024.
  • About 7,274 living people in the UK are estimated to have Omar as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#175

2024

Births in 2024

290

Latest year

Peak year

2024

290 births

Estimated living

7,274

2026

Meaning

What does Omar mean?

The name Omar has its roots in the Arabic language and is derived from the word "aamara," which means "to live" or "to thrive." It is a name that has been in use since the early days of Islam, and its origins can be traced back to the 7th century.

One of the earliest and most notable historical figures to bear the name Omar was Omar ibn al-Khattab, the second caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate. He ruled from 634 to 644 CE and played a crucial role in the expansion of the Islamic empire. Omar is remembered for his contributions to Islamic jurisprudence and his efforts to establish a system of governance based on the principles of the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad.

The name Omar appears in several ancient texts and religious scriptures, including the Quran and the Hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad). In the Quran, the name is mentioned in the context of a righteous man who was guided by God. This association with righteousness and spiritual guidance has contributed to the name's enduring popularity among Muslims.

Throughout history, numerous notable individuals have borne the name Omar. One of the earliest recorded examples is Omar Khayyam, a Persian mathematician, astronomer, and poet who lived from 1048 to 1131 CE. His contributions to the fields of mathematics and astronomy were significant, and his poetic works, particularly the Rubaiyat, have become widely celebrated.

Another prominent figure was Omar Mukhtar, a Libyan revolutionary and resistance leader who fought against Italian colonization in the early 20th century. He was born in 1858 and executed by the Italian authorities in 1931, but his legacy as a symbol of resistance and national unity in Libya remains strong.

In the realm of literature, Omar Lara Ressurreccion, a Filipino writer and poet, made significant contributions to the literary landscape of his country. He was born in 1907 and passed away in 1979, leaving behind a rich body of work that explored themes of nationalism, social justice, and cultural identity.

Lastly, Omar Sharif, an Egyptian actor, was a prominent figure in the world of cinema. Born in 1932, he achieved international fame for his performances in films such as "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Doctor Zhivago." His charismatic presence and acting talent earned him numerous accolades, including an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe Award.

These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Omar, a name that carries a rich cultural heritage and a strong association with spiritual guidance, righteousness, and resilience.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Omar over time

The chart below shows babies named Omar 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 Omar, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 290 births in 2024, compared with 290 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Omar
073145218290199620102024

Decades

Omar by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Omar 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 #194 1,340 5
2010s #216 2,448 10
2000s #190 2,157 10
1990s #157 878 4

Geography

Where Omar is most common

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

Omar ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #278 in 2024.

Scotland
14
Northern Ireland
3

Across the UK

Omar in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#278 in 2024

51 years of NRS records, 474 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#414 in 2022

9 years of NISRA records, 35 total registered

Related

Names similar to Omar

FAQ

Omar: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Omar was ranked #175 for boys in England and Wales, with 290 births registered.

When was Omar most popular?

The peak year on record was 2024, with 290 babies registered as Omar in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Omar?

A masculine Arabic name meaning "long-lived" or "prosperous".

How many people are called Omar in the UK?

A total of 6,823 babies have been registered as Omar across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 474 more in Scotland and 35 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Omar most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Omar ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #278 in 2024. 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.