UK boy's name
Shariff
A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "noble" or "noble one".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2007. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Shariff is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Shariff popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2007 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4333, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2007 to 2007. 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.
Shariff is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Shariff. 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 2008 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Shariff ranked #4333 for boys in England and Wales in 2007, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2007, when 3 boys were registered as Shariff.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Shariff as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4333
2007
Births in 2007
3
Latest year
Peak year
2007
3 births
Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Shariff mean?
The name Shariff is believed to have its origins in Arabic, deriving from the word "sharif" which means "noble" or "distinguished." It has been in use since ancient times in various parts of the Middle East and North Africa.
The earliest recorded use of the name Shariff can be traced back to the 7th century AD, during the rise of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula. It was often used as a honorific title for those who claimed direct descent from the Prophet Muhammad, through his daughter Fatima and her husband Ali.
One of the earliest and most notable figures to bear the name Shariff was Sharif Ibn al-Husayn (1854-1924), who was the Emir of Mecca and the leader of the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire during World War I. His efforts played a crucial role in the establishment of modern-day Saudi Arabia.
In the Indian subcontinent, the name Shariff gained popularity among Muslim communities, particularly in regions with a strong Sufi tradition. One of the most famous Sufis to bear the name was Shariff Baba (1615-1689), a revered Sufi saint from present-day Maharashtra, India, who is credited with spreading the teachings of Islam in the region.
Another prominent figure in history with the name Shariff was Shariff Hussein bin Ali (1895-1966), who served as the King of the Hejaz region in present-day Saudi Arabia from 1916 to 1924. He was a key ally of the British during World War I and played a significant role in the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire.
In more recent times, the name Shariff has been borne by several notable individuals, including Shariff Aguak (1938-2020), a Filipino politician and lawyer who served as a Senator in the Philippine Senate from 1987 to 1992, and Shariff Kabunsuan (1947-2018), a Filipino author and journalist who was known for his works on the Moro people of the southern Philippines.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Shariff by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Shariff 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #4333 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Shariff
- 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
Shariff: questions and answers
How popular is the name Shariff in the UK right now?
In 2007, Shariff was ranked #4333 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Shariff most popular?
The peak year on record was 2007, with 3 babies registered as Shariff in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Shariff?
A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "noble" or "noble one".
How many people are called Shariff in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Shariff across the 1 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.