UK boy's name
Rabi
A masculine name originating from Arabic, meaning "leader" or "winner".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2014. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Rabi is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Rabi popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2014 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4632, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 3 births.
This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2008 to 2014. 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Rabi. 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 2015 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Rabi ranked #4632 for boys in England and Wales in 2014, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2008, when 3 boys were registered as Rabi.
- • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rabi as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4632
2014
Births in 2014
3
Latest year
Peak year
2008
3 births
Estimated living
6
2026
Meaning
What does Rabi mean?
Rabi is a name with origins tracing back to ancient Hebrew and Aramaic languages. The name is derived from the Semitic root "r-b-b," which means "great" or "master." It was initially used as a title for revered teachers and scholars in the Jewish tradition.
The name Rabi gained prominence during the time of the Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism compiled between the 3rd and 6th centuries CE. In the Talmud, the term "Rabbi" was used as an honorific title for distinguished Jewish scholars and sages. It was often preceded by the individual's given name, such as "Rabi Akiva" or "Rabi Yochanan."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rabi is found in the Mishnah, a central work of the Jewish oral tradition compiled around 200 CE. The Mishnah mentions several notable figures with the title "Rabi," including Rabi Akiva (c. 50-135 CE), a prominent Jewish scholar and sage revered for his wisdom and teachings.
Throughout history, the name Rabi has been associated with various influential Jewish scholars and religious leaders. Some notable examples include Rabi Yehuda HaNasi (c. 135-220 CE), who is credited with compiling the Mishnah, and Rabi Moshe ben Maimon, also known as Maimonides (1138-1204 CE), a renowned medieval Jewish philosopher, astronomer, and one of the most prolific and influential Torah scholars of the Middle Ages.
Another influential figure bearing the name Rabi was Rabi Shlomo Yitzchaki, commonly known as Rashi (1040-1105 CE), a celebrated French rabbi and author of comprehensive commentaries on the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) and the Talmud. His works have had a profound impact on the study and understanding of Jewish texts for centuries.
In the Islamic tradition, the name Rabi is also found as a variant of the name Rabi'ah, which means "spring" or "freshness" in Arabic. One notable figure with this name was Rabi'ah al-Adawiyah (714-801 CE), a renowned Sufi mystic and poet from Basra, known for her profound spiritual teachings and devotional poetry.
While the name Rabi has its roots in the Jewish and Islamic traditions, it has also been adopted and used in various cultures and societies over time, often as a shortened form or derivative of longer names containing the root "r-b-b" or similar variations.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Rabi over time
The chart below shows babies named Rabi registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2008 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 Rabi, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2014, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rabi by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rabi 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 | #4632 | 3 | 1 |
| 2000s | #4432 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Rabi
- Ryan 68,692
- Riley 37,992
- Robert 27,462
- Reuben 25,122
- Rhys 24,418
- Reece 24,329
- Rory 21,870
- Roman 16,609
- Ronnie 16,445
- Reggie 14,684
- Rowan 14,371
- Ralph 8,892
FAQ
Rabi: questions and answers
How popular is the name Rabi in the UK right now?
In 2014, Rabi was ranked #4632 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Rabi most popular?
The peak year on record was 2008, with 3 babies registered as Rabi in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Rabi?
A masculine name originating from Arabic, meaning "leader" or "winner".
How many people are called Rabi in the UK?
A total of 6 babies have been registered as Rabi across the 2 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.