UK boy's name
Saqib
An Arabic name meaning achiever, winner, or successful.
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.
Saqib is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Saqib popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5119, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 38 births.
This profile covers 426 England and Wales registrations across 27 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 8% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 435 living people in the UK are called Saqib. 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
- • Saqib ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 38 boys were registered as Saqib.
- • Saqib ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #324 in 1991.
- • About 435 living people in the UK are estimated to have Saqib as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5119
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
38 births
Estimated living
435
2026
Meaning
What does Saqib mean?
The given name Saqib has its origins in the Arabic language. It is derived from the Arabic word "saqb," which means "falcon" or "hawk." The name is believed to have emerged during the early Islamic era, around the 7th century AD, in the Arabian Peninsula.
Saqib was likely used as a name for individuals who possessed qualities associated with falcons, such as strength, swiftness, and keen vision. The name may have been given to children in the hope that they would grow up to embody these admirable traits.
In Islamic history, the name Saqib is not explicitly mentioned in religious scriptures like the Quran or Hadith. However, falcons and hawks held symbolic significance in Arab culture and were often associated with nobility, courage, and hunting prowess.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Saqib dates back to the 8th century AD, when a prominent Arab poet named Saqib Ibn Abi Al-Sakr lived during the Abbasid Caliphate. He was known for his mastery of the Arabic language and his influential poetry.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Saqib. One such individual was Saqib ibn Malik Al-Ansari (died in 673 AD), a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a prominent figure in early Islamic history. He participated in various battles and played a significant role in the spread of Islam.
Another famous bearer of the name was Saqib Mahmud Shushtari (1169-1293 AD), a renowned Persian poet and Sufi mystic. His works, which were written in Persian, explored themes of love, spirituality, and the divine.
In the modern era, Saqib Saleem (born in 1985) is a well-known Pakistani actor and model who has appeared in numerous Bollywood and Lollywood films, gaining widespread popularity for his performances.
Saqib Nisar (born in 1954) is a former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, known for his efforts to uphold the rule of law and his stance against corruption during his tenure from 2016 to 2019.
Saqib Bilal (born in 1986) is a Pakistani cricketer who has represented the national team in various formats, including Test matches, and is renowned for his all-round abilities as a bowler and a batsman.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Saqib over time
The chart below shows babies named Saqib 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 Saqib, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 38 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Saqib by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Saqib 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 | #3967 | 13 | 3 |
| 2010s | #3062 | 67 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1079 | 213 | 10 |
| 1990s | #551 | 133 | 4 |
Geography
Where Saqib is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Saqib. 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.
Saqib ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #324 in 1991.
Across the UK
Saqib in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#324 in 1991
4 years of NRS records, 13 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Saqib
-
Saqib Bhatti
chartered accountant; politician
British politician
1985-
Related
Names similar to Saqib
- 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
Saqib: questions and answers
How popular is the name Saqib in the UK right now?
In 2024, Saqib was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Saqib most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 38 babies registered as Saqib in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Saqib?
An Arabic name meaning achiever, winner, or successful.
How many people are called Saqib in the UK?
A total of 426 babies have been registered as Saqib across the 27 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 13 more in Scotland.
Where is Saqib most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Saqib ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #324 in 1991. 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.