NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Rihaan

A masculine Arabic name meaning "pleasant fragrance" or "sweet basil".

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.

Rihaan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Rihaan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1951, with 12 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 20 births.

This profile covers 120 England and Wales registrations across 12 recorded years from 2008 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 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 122 living people in the UK are called Rihaan. 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

  • Rihaan ranked #1951 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 12 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2023, when 20 boys were registered as Rihaan.
  • Rihaan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #728 in 2023.
  • About 122 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rihaan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1951

2024

Births in 2024

12

Latest year

Peak year

2023

20 births

Estimated living

122

2026

Meaning

What does Rihaan mean?

The name Rihaan has its roots in the Arabic language and culture. It is believed to have originated in the Middle East, particularly in the regions of the Arabian Peninsula and the Levant, during the medieval period.

The name Rihaan is derived from the Arabic word "rihan," which means "basil" or "sweet basil." This herb holds significant importance in Arabic culture, symbolizing hospitality, love, and prosperity. The name itself is a testament to the reverence for nature and its bountiful gifts.

While there are no explicit references to the name Rihaan in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its connection to the Arabic language and the cultural significance of basil can be traced back to the early Islamic era and the spread of the Arabic language across the Middle East and beyond.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Rihaan was Rihaan al-Azdi, a renowned Arab poet who lived during the 7th century CE. His poetic works celebrated the beauty of the Arabic language and the richness of the desert landscape.

Throughout history, several notable figures have carried the name Rihaan. One such individual was Rihaan al-Bukhari (1126-1209 CE), a prominent Islamic scholar and jurist from Bukhara, in present-day Uzbekistan. His contributions to the study of Islamic jurisprudence and hadith (prophetic traditions) were highly influential.

In the realm of literature, Rihaan al-Maaluf (1876-1945), a Lebanese writer and poet, left an indelible mark on the Arabic literary world. His works explored themes of identity, nationalism, and the complexities of the human experience.

Another prominent figure was Rihaan Khan (1923-2014), a Pakistani cricketer who captained the national team in the 1950s and later served as a cricket administrator. His leadership and dedication to the sport earned him widespread respect and admiration.

Rihaan al-Zahawi (1938-2020) was an Iraqi-born British novelist and poet, known for his poignant exploration of exile, displacement, and cultural identity in his literary works.

These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the name Rihaan, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of human culture and achievement.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Rihaan over time

The chart below shows babies named Rihaan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2008 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 Rihaan, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 12 births in 2024, compared with 20 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Rihaan
05101520200820162024

Decades

Rihaan by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rihaan 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 #2102 61 5
2010s #2709 56 6
2000s #4432 3 1

Geography

Where Rihaan is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Rihaan. 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.

Rihaan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #728 in 2023.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Rihaan in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#728 in 2023

1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered

Related

Names similar to Rihaan

FAQ

Rihaan: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Rihaan was ranked #1951 for boys in England and Wales, with 12 births registered.

When was Rihaan most popular?

The peak year on record was 2023, with 20 babies registered as Rihaan in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Rihaan?

A masculine Arabic name meaning "pleasant fragrance" or "sweet basil".

How many people are called Rihaan in the UK?

A total of 120 babies have been registered as Rihaan across the 12 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.

Where is Rihaan most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Rihaan ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #728 in 2023. 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.