NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Rashad

A male name of Arabic origin meaning "rightly guided" or "righteous".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Rashad is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Rashad popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4991, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1999, with 8 births.

This profile covers 86 England and Wales registrations across 20 recorded years from 1996 to 2023. 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 38% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 85 living people in the UK are called Rashad. 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 2024 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Rashad ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1999, when 8 boys were registered as Rashad.
  • About 85 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rashad as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4991

2023

Births in 2023

3

Latest year

Peak year

1999

8 births

Estimated living

85

2026

Meaning

What does Rashad mean?

The name Rashad has its origins in the Arabic language and culture, dating back to the medieval period in the Middle East and North Africa. It is derived from the Arabic word "rashid," which means "rightly guided" or "on the right path."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rashad can be found in the historical chronicles of the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled over a significant portion of the Islamic world from the 8th to the 13th century. During this time, the name was often associated with individuals who were considered wise, virtuous, and righteous.

In the realm of Islamic literature, the name Rashad is mentioned in several religious texts and scholarly works. For example, it appears in the writings of the renowned Islamic philosopher and theologian Al-Ghazali, who lived from 1058 to 1111 CE.

The earliest known historical figure bearing the name Rashad was Rashad al-Din Sinan, a prominent leader of the Ismaili Shi'a sect during the 11th and 12th centuries. He is famously known as the "Old Man of the Mountain" and played a significant role in the crusades against the Christian forces in the Levant.

Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have carried the name Rashad. One such person was Rashad al-Din Fazlullah, a Persian historian and writer who lived from 1247 to 1318 CE. He is renowned for his comprehensive work, the "Jami' al-Tawarikh," which chronicled the history of the Mongol Empire.

Another famous bearer of the name was Rashad al-Din Vatvat, a Persian poet and mystic who lived from 1292 to 1384 CE. His poetic works, which explored themes of love, spirituality, and the human condition, have been celebrated and studied for centuries.

In more recent history, Rashad Khalifa, an Egyptian-American biochemist and religious reformer, gained prominence in the 20th century. He founded the United Submitters International, a religious movement based on his interpretations of the Quran.

Rashad Hussain, an American lawyer and diplomat, also made a notable impact in the 21st century. He served as the United States Special Envoy to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation from 2010 to 2015, working to strengthen ties between the United States and Muslim-majority nations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Rashad over time

The chart below shows babies named Rashad registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Rashad, the clearest high point is 1999. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 8 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Rashad
02468199620092023

Decades

Rashad by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rashad 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 #4890 6 2
2010s #4389 17 5
2000s #3201 41 9
1990s #2051 22 4

Related

Names similar to Rashad

FAQ

Rashad: questions and answers

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

In 2023, Rashad was ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Rashad most popular?

The peak year on record was 1999, with 8 babies registered as Rashad in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Rashad?

A male name of Arabic origin meaning "rightly guided" or "righteous".

How many people are called Rashad in the UK?

A total of 86 babies have been registered as Rashad across the 20 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.