NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Rafik

An Arabic name meaning "friend" or "companion".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2021. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Rafik is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Rafik popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3451, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2020, with 7 births.

This profile covers 27 England and Wales registrations across 7 recorded years from 2005 to 2021. 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 71% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 27 living people in the UK are called Rafik. 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 2022 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Rafik ranked #3451 for boys in England and Wales in 2021, with 5 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2020, when 7 boys were registered as Rafik.
  • About 27 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rafik as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3451

2021

Births in 2021

5

Latest year

Peak year

2020

7 births

Estimated living

27

2026

Meaning

What does Rafik mean?

The name Rafik has its origins in the Arabic language. It is derived from the Arabic word 'rafeeq', which means 'companion' or 'friend'. The name has been in use for centuries and has a rich history associated with it.

Rafik is believed to have first appeared in ancient Arabic manuscripts and texts dating back to the 7th century AD. It was a popular name among the Arab tribes and was often given to boys born into families with strong ties to the Islamic faith and Arab culture.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rafik can be found in the famous Arabic literary work, 'The Book of Songs', written in the 9th century AD. The author, Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani, mentions a poet named Rafik al-Yazidi, who was renowned for his eloquent and thought-provoking poetry.

Throughout history, there have been several notable figures who bore the name Rafik. One of the most prominent was Rafik al-Hariri, a Lebanese businessman and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Lebanon from 1992 to 1998 and again from 2000 until his assassination in 2005.

Another famous Rafik was Rafik Bey, an Egyptian politician and diplomat who served as the Prime Minister of Egypt from 1919 to 1924. He played a crucial role in negotiating the country's independence from Britain and is remembered as a key figure in the Egyptian nationalist movement.

In the field of literature, Rafik Schami is a renowned Syrian-German writer and novelist who has published over a dozen books. Born in 1946 in Damascus, Schami's works often explore themes of identity, migration, and cultural diversity.

Rafik Khouri was a Palestinian artist and sculptor who lived from 1923 to 1973. He is celebrated for his modernist approach to sculpture and his contributions to the development of contemporary art in the Middle East.

Rafik Soliman was an Egyptian singer and actor who rose to fame in the mid-20th century. Born in 1925, he was known for his powerful voice and his ability to captivate audiences with his performances of traditional Arabic songs.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Rafik over time

The chart below shows babies named Rafik registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2005 to 2021. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Rafik, the clearest high point is 2020. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2021, compared with 7 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Rafik
02457200520132021

Decades

Rafik by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rafik 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 #3067 12 2
2010s #4682 6 2
2000s #4078 9 3

Related

Names similar to Rafik

FAQ

Rafik: questions and answers

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

In 2021, Rafik was ranked #3451 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.

When was Rafik most popular?

The peak year on record was 2020, with 7 babies registered as Rafik in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Rafik?

An Arabic name meaning "friend" or "companion".

How many people are called Rafik in the UK?

A total of 27 babies have been registered as Rafik across the 7 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.