UK boy's name
Qais
An Arabic name derived from "qaid" meaning leader or chief.
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.
Qais is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Qais popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1675, with 15 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 20 births.
This profile covers 331 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 332 living people in the UK are called Qais. 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
- • Qais ranked #1675 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 15 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2009, when 20 boys were registered as Qais.
- • Qais ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #438 in 2002.
- • About 332 living people in the UK are estimated to have Qais as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1675
2024
Births in 2024
15
Latest year
Peak year
2009
20 births
Estimated living
332
2026
Meaning
What does Qais mean?
The name Qais is of Arabic origin and has its roots in the ancient Arabic language. It is derived from the word "qaisa," which means "leader" or "chief." The name can be traced back to the pre-Islamic era in the Arabian Peninsula, where it was commonly used among Arab tribes.
One of the earliest mentions of the name Qais can be found in ancient Arabic poetry and literature. It is said that Qais ibn al-Mulawwah, a renowned pre-Islamic Arab poet, bore this name. He lived in the 6th century CE and is considered one of the most famous poets of the Muallaqat, a collection of pre-Islamic Arabic poetry.
In Islamic history, the name Qais is associated with several notable figures. One of the most prominent is Qais ibn Sa'd ibn Ubadah, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and a distinguished military leader during the early Muslim conquests. He played a crucial role in the conquest of Syria and the Battle of Yarmouk in the 7th century CE.
Another historical figure with the name Qais is Qais ibn al-Haytham, a renowned Arab mathematician and scientist who lived in the 9th century CE. He is considered one of the pioneers of the scientific method and made significant contributions to the fields of optics and physics.
In later periods, the name Qais was carried by several influential Islamic scholars and poets. Qais al-Razi, a renowned philosopher and physician of the 9th century CE, was one such figure. He wrote extensively on topics ranging from medicine to philosophy and is regarded as one of the most influential thinkers of the Islamic Golden Age.
Qais ibn al-Khatim, a 10th-century Arab poet and writer, also bore this name. He was known for his mastery of Arabic literature and his works, which focused on themes of love, nature, and spirituality.
Throughout history, the name Qais has been associated with leaders, poets, scholars, and influential figures in the Arab and Islamic world. Its strong linguistic roots and historical significance have made it a popular name choice across various regions and cultures influenced by the Arabic language and Islamic traditions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Qais over time
The chart below shows babies named Qais 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 Qais, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 15 births in 2024, compared with 20 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Qais by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Qais 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 | #2012 | 56 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2038 | 114 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1376 | 134 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1755 | 27 | 4 |
Geography
Where Qais is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Qais. 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.
Qais ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #438 in 2002.
Across the UK
Qais in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#438 in 2002
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Qais
- Quinn 2,941
- Qasim 1,585
- Quentin 481
- Quinton 375
- Quincy 334
- Quinlan 247
- Qaasim 119
- Quin 105
- Quade 94
- Quintin 88
- Quinten 81
- Quaid 66
FAQ
Qais: questions and answers
How popular is the name Qais in the UK right now?
In 2024, Qais was ranked #1675 for boys in England and Wales, with 15 births registered.
When was Qais most popular?
The peak year on record was 2009, with 20 babies registered as Qais in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Qais?
An Arabic name derived from "qaid" meaning leader or chief.
How many people are called Qais in the UK?
A total of 331 babies have been registered as Qais across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Qais most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Qais ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #438 in 2002. 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.