UK boy's name
Sikandar
A masculine name of Persian origin meaning "defender of men".
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.
Sikandar is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Sikandar 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 2008, with 8 births.
This profile covers 61 England and Wales registrations across 15 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 63% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 60 living people in the UK are called Sikandar. 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
- • Sikandar ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2008, when 8 boys were registered as Sikandar.
- • About 60 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sikandar 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
2008
8 births
Estimated living
60
2026
Meaning
What does Sikandar mean?
The name Sikandar has its origins in the Persian language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Greek name "Alexander," which itself comes from the Greek words "alexo" meaning "to defend" and "andros" meaning "man." The name Sikandar is a Persian adaptation of the Greek name Alexander.
In the ancient world, the name Sikandar gained great fame and recognition due to its association with Alexander the Great, the legendary Macedonian king and conqueror who lived from 356 to 323 BCE. His military campaigns and conquests across the Persian Empire and into parts of India made him a revered figure in the region, and the Persian form of his name, Sikandar, became widely used.
The name Sikandar is mentioned in various Persian literary works and historical texts, including the Shahnameh, the epic poem written by the renowned Persian poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th century CE. In this work, Sikandar is portrayed as a great warrior and conqueror, reflecting the enduring legacy of Alexander the Great in Persian culture.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Sikandar is Sikandar Lodi, the sultan of the Lodi dynasty who ruled over the Delhi Sultanate from 1489 to 1517 CE. Another notable historical figure with this name was Sikandar Shah Suri, the second ruler of the Sur Empire in northern India, who reigned from 1555 to 1559 CE.
Throughout history, several other prominent individuals have borne the name Sikandar, including Sikandar Butshikan (356-283 BCE), an Iranian ruler known for his military conquests; Sikandar Mirza (1516-1561 CE), a Mughal prince and son of Emperor Babur; and Sikandar Shah Duri (1611-1672 CE), a ruler of the Durrani Empire in present-day Afghanistan.
Over time, the name Sikandar has transcended its Persian roots and has been adopted by various cultures and communities across the Middle East, South Asia, and Central Asia, reflecting the enduring influence and legacy of Alexander the Great in these regions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sikandar over time
The chart below shows babies named Sikandar 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 Sikandar, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sikandar by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sikandar 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 | #4148 | 8 | 2 |
| 2010s | #4693 | 9 | 3 |
| 2000s | #3031 | 31 | 7 |
| 1990s | #2320 | 13 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Sikandar
- 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
Sikandar: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sikandar in the UK right now?
In 2024, Sikandar was ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Sikandar most popular?
The peak year on record was 2008, with 8 babies registered as Sikandar in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sikandar?
A masculine name of Persian origin meaning "defender of men".
How many people are called Sikandar in the UK?
A total of 61 babies have been registered as Sikandar across the 15 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.