UK boy's name
Shahir
An Arabic name meaning "famous" or "well-known".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2019. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Shahir is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Shahir popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2019 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3937, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2012, with 7 births.
This profile covers 63 England and Wales registrations across 16 recorded years from 1996 to 2019. 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 57% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 63 living people in the UK are called Shahir. 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 2020 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Shahir ranked #3937 for boys in England and Wales in 2019, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2012, when 7 boys were registered as Shahir.
- • About 63 living people in the UK are estimated to have Shahir as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3937
2019
Births in 2019
4
Latest year
Peak year
2012
7 births
Estimated living
63
2026
Meaning
What does Shahir mean?
The name Shahir is derived from the Persian language and has its origins in ancient Persia, which is now modern-day Iran. The word "Shahir" is believed to have originated from the Persian word "shāhīr," which means "famous" or "renowned."
The earliest recorded use of the name Shahir can be traced back to the Middle Persian period, which lasted from the 3rd century BCE to the 7th century CE. During this time, the name was likely given to individuals who had achieved a certain level of fame or recognition within their respective communities.
One of the earliest known historical figures to bear the name Shahir was Shahir al-Balkhi, a renowned Persian poet who lived in the 10th century CE. He was highly regarded for his contributions to the development of Persian literature and his works are still celebrated today.
Another notable figure in history with the name Shahir was Shahir Khan, a prominent military leader and governor during the Mughal Empire in the 16th century. He served under the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar and played a significant role in the expansion and consolidation of the empire's territories.
In the realm of Islamic scholarship, Shahir ibn Husayn al-Isfahani (born in the 9th century CE) was a distinguished scholar and jurist who made significant contributions to the field of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh). His writings and interpretations of Islamic law were highly regarded and widely studied in his time.
During the medieval period, the name Shahir was also associated with several Sufi mystics and spiritual leaders. One such figure was Shahir al-Suhrawardi (born in the 12th century CE), a renowned Sufi master and founder of the Suhrawardiyya order, which had a significant influence on the spread of Sufism throughout the Muslim world.
In the realm of literature, Shahir Shahabadi (born in the 16th century CE) was a prominent Persian poet who was celebrated for his mastery of the ghazal form. His works were widely read and appreciated during his lifetime and continue to be studied and admired by scholars and poetry enthusiasts today.
These are just a few examples of notable historical figures who bore the name Shahir, highlighting its rich cultural heritage and association with individuals who achieved fame and recognition in various fields throughout the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Shahir over time
The chart below shows babies named Shahir registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2019. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Shahir, the clearest high point is 2012. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2019, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shahir by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Shahir 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 | #3868 | 35 | 8 |
| 2000s | #3626 | 16 | 5 |
| 1990s | #2508 | 12 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Shahir
- 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
Shahir: questions and answers
How popular is the name Shahir in the UK right now?
In 2019, Shahir was ranked #3937 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Shahir most popular?
The peak year on record was 2012, with 7 babies registered as Shahir in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Shahir?
An Arabic name meaning "famous" or "well-known".
How many people are called Shahir in the UK?
A total of 63 babies have been registered as Shahir across the 16 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.