NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Sehar

A feminine Arabic name meaning "the time just before dawn".

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.

Sehar is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Sehar popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2574, with 10 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 24 births.

This profile covers 365 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 42% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 379 living people in the UK are called Sehar. 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

  • Sehar ranked #2574 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 10 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2005, when 24 girls were registered as Sehar.
  • Sehar ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #663 in 2004.
  • About 379 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sehar as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2574

2024

Births in 2024

10

Latest year

Peak year

2005

24 births

Estimated living

379

2026

Meaning

What does Sehar mean?

The name Sehar has its origins in the Persian language, where it means "morning" or "dawn." It is derived from the Persian word "sehar," which refers to the early hours of the day when the sun begins to rise. The name is believed to have been popular among Persian speakers for centuries, particularly in regions that are now part of modern-day Iran, Afghanistan, and parts of Central Asia.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sehar can be found in medieval Persian literature, where it was occasionally used as a poetic reference to the beauty and freshness of the morning hours. In the 11th century, the renowned Persian poet Ferdowsi mentioned the name in his epic poem, the Shahnameh, which is considered a masterpiece of Persian literature.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Sehar. One of the most famous was Sehar Ansari (1397-1482), a renowned Sufi saint and poet from the Indian subcontinent. Her poetic works, which often focused on spiritual themes, were widely admired and continue to be celebrated to this day.

Another notable figure was Sehar Bano Begum (1916-1986), an Indian singer and actress who was a prominent figure in the early years of the Bollywood film industry. She was renowned for her melodious voice and her performances in several classic Indian films of the 1930s and 1940s.

In the realm of literature, Sehar Dehlvi (1828-1905) was a prominent Urdu poet and scholar from Delhi, India. Her poetry, which often explored themes of love, spirituality, and the human condition, was widely acclaimed during her lifetime and continues to be studied and appreciated by scholars of Urdu literature.

The name Sehar has also been borne by several influential figures in the world of sports. One example is Sehar Fatima (born 1988), a Pakistani cricketer who has represented her country in numerous international tournaments and is considered one of the most successful female cricketers in Pakistan's history.

Another notable individual with this name is Sehar Aqeel (born 1992), a Pakistani squash player who has won multiple international tournaments and has been ranked among the top squash players in the world. Her achievements have made her a role model for aspiring athletes in her home country and beyond.

While the name Sehar has its roots in the Persian language and culture, it has transcended geographical boundaries and is now used by families from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds around the world, serving as a reminder of the rich tapestry of human diversity and the enduring appeal of names with deep historical and cultural significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Sehar over time

The chart below shows babies named Sehar 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 Sehar, the clearest high point is 2005. The latest England and Wales figure is 10 births in 2024, compared with 24 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Sehar
06121824199620102024

Decades

Sehar by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sehar 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 #2403 58 5
2010s #2891 97 10
2000s #1367 173 10
1990s #1832 37 4

Geography

Where Sehar is most common

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

Sehar ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #663 in 2004.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Sehar in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#663 in 2004

5 years of NRS records, 16 total registered

Related

Names similar to Sehar

FAQ

Sehar: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Sehar was ranked #2574 for girls in England and Wales, with 10 births registered.

When was Sehar most popular?

The peak year on record was 2005, with 24 babies registered as Sehar in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Sehar?

A feminine Arabic name meaning "the time just before dawn".

How many people are called Sehar in the UK?

A total of 365 babies have been registered as Sehar across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 16 more in Scotland.

Where is Sehar most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Sehar ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #663 in 2004. 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.