UK boy's name
Raheem
A name of Arabic origin meaning "merciful" or "compassionate".
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.
Raheem is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Raheem popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #613, with 62 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 89 births.
This profile covers 1,743 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 70% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 1,740 living people in the UK are called Raheem. 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
- • Raheem ranked #613 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 62 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 89 boys were registered as Raheem.
- • Raheem ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #522 in 2022.
- • About 1,740 living people in the UK are estimated to have Raheem as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#613
2024
Births in 2024
62
Latest year
Peak year
2023
89 births
Estimated living
1,740
2026
Meaning
What does Raheem mean?
The name Raheem has its origins in the Arabic language and is derived from the word "rahm," which means "mercy" or "compassion." It is a masculine name that is commonly found in Islamic cultures and regions where Arabic is spoken.
In Arabic, the name Raheem is also one of the 99 names or attributes of Allah (God) in Islam, meaning "The Most Merciful." This association with divine mercy and compassion has contributed to the popularity of the name among Muslims.
The name Raheem can be traced back to the 7th century CE, the time when Islam emerged in the Arabian Peninsula. It is mentioned in the Quran, the holy book of Islam, and has been used by Muslims throughout history.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Raheem is Raheem ibn Habib, a renowned Islamic scholar and poet who lived in the 8th century CE in present-day Iraq.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Raheem. One of the most famous was Raheem Khan Durrani, an 18th-century Afghan ruler and the founder of the Durrani Empire, who reigned from 1747 to 1758.
Another prominent figure was Raheem Bakhsh, an Indian revolutionary and freedom fighter who played a significant role in the Indian independence movement against British rule in the early 20th century.
In the field of literature, Raheem Burney was a renowned Pakistani writer and poet who lived from 1939 to 1988. He is celebrated for his contributions to Urdu literature and his poetic works that explored themes of love, spirituality, and human experiences.
Raheem Fazlullah was an influential Afghan politician and diplomat who served as the President of Afghanistan from 1973 to 1975.
Raheem Sterling, a professional football player born in 1994, is a notable modern-day bearer of the name. He has represented England at international level and has played for several high-profile clubs, including Manchester City and Chelsea.
The name Raheem continues to be popular among Muslim communities worldwide, particularly in regions with strong Arabic and Islamic influences, due to its deep-rooted connection with the Islamic faith and its meaning of divine mercy and compassion.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Raheem over time
The chart below shows babies named Raheem 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 Raheem, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 62 births in 2024, compared with 89 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Raheem by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Raheem 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 | #536 | 363 | 5 |
| 2010s | #553 | 681 | 10 |
| 2000s | #491 | 551 | 10 |
| 1990s | #524 | 148 | 4 |
Geography
Where Raheem is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Raheem. 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.
Raheem ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #522 in 2022.
Across the UK
Raheem in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#522 in 2022
2 years of NRS records, 9 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Raheem
-
Raheem Sterling
association football player
English association football player (born 1994)
1994-
-
Raheem Robinson
association football player
Footballer (born 1992)
1992-
-
Raheem May-Thompson
basketball player
basketball player
1991-
Related
Names similar to Raheem
- 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
Raheem: questions and answers
How popular is the name Raheem in the UK right now?
In 2024, Raheem was ranked #613 for boys in England and Wales, with 62 births registered.
When was Raheem most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 89 babies registered as Raheem in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Raheem?
A name of Arabic origin meaning "merciful" or "compassionate".
How many people are called Raheem in the UK?
A total of 1,743 babies have been registered as Raheem across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 9 more in Scotland.
Where is Raheem most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Raheem ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #522 in 2022. 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.