NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Shaheem

An Arabic masculine name meaning "generous" or "bountiful".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Shaheem is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Shaheem popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4789, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 6 births.

This profile covers 49 England and Wales registrations across 11 recorded years from 2009 to 2022. 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 50% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 49 living people in the UK are called Shaheem. 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 2023 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Shaheem ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales in 2022, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2009, when 6 boys were registered as Shaheem.
  • About 49 living people in the UK are estimated to have Shaheem as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4789

2022

Births in 2022

3

Latest year

Peak year

2009

6 births

Estimated living

49

2026

Meaning

What does Shaheem mean?

The name Shaheem has its origins in the Arabic language and culture, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Arabic root word "shahim," which means "high-ranking" or "noble." The name is believed to have been popular among the aristocracy and nobility of the Arabian Peninsula during the medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Shaheem can be found in the writings of the renowned Arab historian and scholar, Ibn Khaldun, who lived in the 14th century. In his seminal work, "The Muqaddimah," he referred to a prominent figure named Shaheem ibn Malik, who was a military leader during the Abbasid Caliphate.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Shaheem. One such figure was Shaheem al-Bakri, an Arab geographer and scholar who lived in the 11th century. He is renowned for his extensive work on the geography and cultures of the Islamic world, particularly his book "Al-Masalik wa'l-Mamalik" (The Roads and Kingdoms).

Another prominent individual with the name Shaheem was Shaheem al-Ghazali, a renowned Islamic theologian and philosopher who lived during the 11th and 12th centuries. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential thinkers in the history of Islamic philosophy, and his works, such as "The Revival of the Religious Sciences," have had a profound impact on Islamic thought and spirituality.

In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook Shaheem al-Hamdani, a celebrated Arab poet who lived in the 9th century. He was renowned for his mastery of the Arabic language and his poetic works, which often celebrated the virtues of love, chivalry, and honor.

Lastly, it is worth mentioning Shaheem al-Ansari, a renowned Sufi mystic and scholar who lived in the 12th century. He was a prominent figure in the Suhrawardi Sufi order and is revered for his spiritual teachings and contributions to the development of Islamic mysticism.

These are just a few examples of prominent individuals throughout history who bore the name Shaheem, a name that has endured and carried a sense of nobility and distinction across various epochs and cultures within the Arabic-speaking world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Shaheem over time

The chart below shows babies named Shaheem registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2009 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Shaheem, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2022, compared with 6 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Shaheem
02356200920152022

Decades

Shaheem by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Shaheem 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 #4789 3 1
2010s #3774 40 9
2000s #2837 6 1

Related

Names similar to Shaheem

FAQ

Shaheem: questions and answers

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

In 2022, Shaheem was ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Shaheem most popular?

The peak year on record was 2009, with 6 babies registered as Shaheem in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Shaheem?

An Arabic masculine name meaning "generous" or "bountiful".

How many people are called Shaheem in the UK?

A total of 49 babies have been registered as Shaheem across the 11 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.