UK boy's name
Shakir
A masculine Arabic name meaning "thankful" or "appreciative".
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.
Shakir is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Shakir popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3688, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2001, with 16 births.
This profile covers 214 England and Wales registrations across 27 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. 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 31% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 212 living people in the UK are called Shakir. 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
- • Shakir ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2001, when 16 boys were registered as Shakir.
- • About 212 living people in the UK are estimated to have Shakir as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3688
2024
Births in 2024
5
Latest year
Peak year
2001
16 births
Estimated living
212
2026
Meaning
What does Shakir mean?
The name Shakir finds its origins in the Arabic language and culture, tracing back to ancient times. It is derived from the Arabic root word "shakara," which means "to be grateful" or "to give thanks." The name is believed to have gained popularity among Arab communities as a way to express gratitude and appreciation for blessings bestowed upon an individual.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Shakir can be found in the famous Arabic literary work "Mu'allaqat," a collection of pre-Islamic Arabic poems. The poem attributed to the poet Zuhayr bin Abi Sulma, who lived in the 6th century AD, mentions a person named Shakir, indicating the name's existence during that time period.
In Islamic tradition, the name Shakir is mentioned in the Quran, the holy book of Islam. Specifically, it is used as an attribute of Allah (God) in Surah Al-Fatir, verse 34, where Allah is described as "Shakir Alim" (The Most Appreciative, The All-Knowing). This reference to the name in the Quran has contributed to its popularity among Muslim communities worldwide.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Shakir. One of the earliest recorded was Shakir al-Numan (779-819 AD), a renowned Arabic poet and scholar from Baghdad during the Abbasid Caliphate. Another famous bearer of the name was Shakir Khan (1619-1688), a Mughal nobleman and military commander who served under the Mughal emperors Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb in India.
In the 20th century, Shakir Ali Khan (1874-1930) was a prominent Indian politician and statesman who served as the first Muslim President of the Indian National Congress in 1920. Shakir Mustafa (1916-2008) was an Egyptian actor and filmmaker who made significant contributions to the Egyptian cinema industry.
More recently, Shakir Baksh (1918-1992) was a Pakistani linguist and scholar who played a crucial role in the development of the Sindhi language and literature. Shakir Ullah (1944-2021) was a renowned Pakistani cricketer who represented the national team in the 1960s and 1970s and later served as a cricket administrator.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the name Shakir throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of culture and tradition associated with this name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Shakir over time
The chart below shows babies named Shakir 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 Shakir, the clearest high point is 2001. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 16 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shakir by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Shakir 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 | #3298 | 17 | 3 |
| 2010s | #3166 | 60 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1765 | 98 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1348 | 39 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Shakir
- 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
Shakir: questions and answers
How popular is the name Shakir in the UK right now?
In 2024, Shakir was ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Shakir most popular?
The peak year on record was 2001, with 16 babies registered as Shakir in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Shakir?
A masculine Arabic name meaning "thankful" or "appreciative".
How many people are called Shakir in the UK?
A total of 214 babies have been registered as Shakir across the 27 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.