UK boy's name
Siraj
Derived from the Arabic word "siraj" meaning light, radiance or lamp.
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.
Siraj is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Siraj popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1758, with 14 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 14 births.
This profile covers 291 England and Wales registrations across 29 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 289 living people in the UK are called Siraj. 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
- • Siraj ranked #1758 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 14 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 14 boys were registered as Siraj.
- • About 289 living people in the UK are estimated to have Siraj as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1758
2024
Births in 2024
14
Latest year
Peak year
1996
14 births
Estimated living
289
2026
Meaning
What does Siraj mean?
The name Siraj is derived from the Arabic word "siraj," which means "lamp" or "lantern." This name has its roots in the Arabic language and culture, originating in the Middle East region during the Islamic Golden Age, which spanned from the 8th to the 13th century.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Siraj can be found in the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, where it is used to describe the celestial bodies that illuminate the night sky. This connection to light and illumination has given the name a symbolic significance in the Islamic tradition.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Siraj. One of the earliest recorded was Siraj al-Din al-Bajqani, a Persian mathematician and astronomer who lived in the 12th century. He made significant contributions to the field of trigonometry and authored several influential works.
In the 13th century, Siraj al-Din al-Saqati was a renowned Sufi scholar and poet from present-day Iraq. His works explored the mystical dimensions of Islam and have been widely studied by scholars and seekers of spiritual knowledge.
During the Mughal Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries, Siraj-ud-Daulah was a notable figure who briefly ruled Bengal. He is remembered for his conflict with the British East India Company, which led to the Battle of Plassey in 1757, a pivotal event in the history of British colonialism in India.
In the realm of literature, Siraj al-Din Ali Khan Arzu was a celebrated 18th-century Urdu poet from India. His works, such as the poetry collection "Nawadir al-Alfaz," are considered masterpieces of Urdu literature and have influenced generations of poets and writers.
More recently, Siraj Ul Haq is a prominent Pakistani political figure who has served as the Ameer (leader) of the Jamaat-e-Islami, a major Islamic political party in Pakistan, since 2009. He has been actively involved in shaping the country's political landscape and advocating for Islamic values in governance.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals who have carried the name Siraj throughout history, each leaving their mark in fields ranging from mathematics and astronomy to literature, politics, and religion.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Siraj over time
The chart below shows babies named Siraj 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 Siraj, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 14 births in 2024, compared with 14 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Siraj by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Siraj 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 | #2381 | 48 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2447 | 92 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1646 | 106 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1215 | 45 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Siraj
- 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
Siraj: questions and answers
How popular is the name Siraj in the UK right now?
In 2024, Siraj was ranked #1758 for boys in England and Wales, with 14 births registered.
When was Siraj most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 14 babies registered as Siraj in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Siraj?
Derived from the Arabic word "siraj" meaning light, radiance or lamp.
How many people are called Siraj in the UK?
A total of 291 babies have been registered as Siraj across the 29 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.