UK boy's name
Shahil
A masculine Arabic name meaning "slender" or "handsome young man".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2014. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Shahil is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Shahil popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2014 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4632, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1998, with 4 births.
This profile covers 11 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 1998 to 2014. 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 11 living people in the UK are called Shahil. 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 2015 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Shahil ranked #4632 for boys in England and Wales in 2014, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1998, when 4 boys were registered as Shahil.
- • About 11 living people in the UK are estimated to have Shahil as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4632
2014
Births in 2014
3
Latest year
Peak year
1998
4 births
Estimated living
11
2026
Meaning
What does Shahil mean?
The name Shahil is believed to have its origins in the Persian language, which is primarily spoken in Iran and parts of Central Asia. It is a combination of the Persian words "shah," meaning king or ruler, and "il," which means nation or tribe.
In ancient Persia, the name Shahil was often given to individuals who were perceived as leaders or those with a strong connection to their community or tribe. The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the Sassanid Empire, which ruled over Persia from the 3rd to the 7th century AD.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Shahil was a Persian military commander who lived during the reign of Khosrau I, also known as Anushirvan the Just, in the 6th century AD. This Shahil played a significant role in the Persian conquest of parts of modern-day Syria and Iraq.
Another notable figure in history who bore the name Shahil was a poet and scholar who lived during the Abbasid Caliphate in the 9th century AD. His poetry and writings were widely celebrated for their eloquence and depth, and he was known for his contributions to the development of Persian literature.
In the 12th century, a Persian architect named Shahil was responsible for the design and construction of several notable buildings, including a mosque in the city of Isfahan, which is still standing today and is considered a masterpiece of Persian architecture.
During the Safavid Dynasty, which ruled over Persia from the 16th to the 18th century, there was a prominent military commander named Shahil who played a crucial role in the expansion of the empire's territory and the defense of its borders.
More recently, in the late 19th century, a Persian philosopher and writer named Shahil Mirza gained recognition for his works on ethics, philosophy, and social reform. His writings were influential in shaping the intellectual discourse of the time and contributed to the modernization of Persian society.
While the name Shahil is not as common today as it once was in Persia, it still holds cultural and historical significance, particularly in Iran and parts of Central Asia where Persian influence has been strong.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Shahil over time
The chart below shows babies named Shahil registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2014. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Shahil, the clearest high point is 1998. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2014, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shahil by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Shahil 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4632 | 3 | 1 |
| 2000s | #2857 | 4 | 1 |
| 1990s | #2419 | 4 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Shahil
- 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
Shahil: questions and answers
How popular is the name Shahil in the UK right now?
In 2014, Shahil was ranked #4632 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Shahil most popular?
The peak year on record was 1998, with 4 babies registered as Shahil in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Shahil?
A masculine Arabic name meaning "slender" or "handsome young man".
How many people are called Shahil in the UK?
A total of 11 babies have been registered as Shahil across the 3 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.