UK boy's name
Saddam
An Arabic masculine name meaning "one who confronts" or "opposition".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2020. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Saddam is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Saddam popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3848, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2020, with 4 births.
This profile covers 4 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2020 to 2020. 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.
Saddam is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 4 living people in the UK are called Saddam. 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 2021 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Saddam ranked #3848 for boys in England and Wales in 2020, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2020, when 4 boys were registered as Saddam.
- • About 4 living people in the UK are estimated to have Saddam as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3848
2020
Births in 2020
4
Latest year
Peak year
2020
4 births
Estimated living
4
2026
Meaning
What does Saddam mean?
The name Saddam is derived from the Arabic word "sadama," which means "to collide" or "to encounter." It has its roots in the Semitic languages of the Middle East and can be traced back to ancient Arabic civilizations.
The earliest recorded use of the name Saddam dates back to the 7th century AD, during the early Islamic period. It was mentioned in various Arabic texts and chronicles from that era, often referring to individuals involved in military conflicts or encounters.
One of the earliest known historical figures with the name Saddam was Saddam ibn Malik al-Khuzai, a prominent Arab military commander who lived in the late 7th century AD. He played a significant role in the Muslim conquests and the expansion of the Umayyad Caliphate.
Another notable individual with the name Saddam was Saddam ibn Mahmud al-Ghuri, a 12th-century Kurdish military leader and sultan of the Ghurid dynasty. He was known for his successful campaigns against the Ghaznavid Empire and his efforts to consolidate power in modern-day Afghanistan and parts of northern India.
In the 20th century, the name Saddam gained widespread recognition due to Saddam Hussein, the former President of Iraq from 1979 to 2003. He was born on April 28, 1937, and ruled Iraq with an authoritarian regime until his capture by U.S. forces during the Iraq War in 2003. He was executed by hanging on December 30, 2006.
Beyond Saddam Hussein, other historical figures with the name Saddam include Saddam al-Jayyashi, an 8th-century Arab military commander who served under the Abbasid Caliphate, and Saddam al-Sufi, a 10th-century Persian mathematician and astronomer known for his contributions to the development of trigonometry.
While the name Saddam has a rich historical background, its association with Saddam Hussein and his controversial rule in Iraq has led to a significant decline in its popularity in recent decades, particularly in the Middle East and other parts of the world influenced by the events surrounding his regime.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Saddam by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Saddam 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 | #3848 | 4 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Saddam
- Samuel 108,505
- Sebastian 33,008
- Sam 20,889
- Stanley 16,354
- Sonny 15,028
- Sean 15,006
- Scott 12,587
- Seth 9,841
- Syed 9,050
- Stephen 8,884
- Spencer 8,333
- Steven 6,970
FAQ
Saddam: questions and answers
How popular is the name Saddam in the UK right now?
In 2020, Saddam was ranked #3848 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Saddam most popular?
The peak year on record was 2020, with 4 babies registered as Saddam in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Saddam?
An Arabic masculine name meaning "one who confronts" or "opposition".
How many people are called Saddam in the UK?
A total of 4 babies have been registered as Saddam across the 1 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.