UK boy's name
Sofyan
An Arabic masculine name meaning "elevated" or "noble".
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.
Sofyan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Sofyan 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 2018, with 4 births.
This profile covers 26 England and Wales registrations across 8 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 26 living people in the UK are called Sofyan. 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
- • Sofyan ranked #3937 for boys in England and Wales in 2019, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2018, when 4 boys were registered as Sofyan.
- • About 26 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sofyan 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
2018
4 births
Estimated living
26
2026
Meaning
What does Sofyan mean?
The name Sofyan originates from the Arabic language and has its roots in the Middle Eastern region, specifically in the Arabian Peninsula. It is derived from the Arabic word "sufayn," which means "two swords" or "two blades." This name was likely given to individuals who were skilled warriors or had a reputation for their prowess in battle.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sofyan can be found in Islamic history, where it was borne by Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (602-680 CE), the founder of the Umayyad Caliphate. Muawiyah was a prominent figure in early Islamic history and played a significant role in the expansion of the Islamic empire during his reign.
Another notable bearer of the name Sofyan was Abu Sufyan ibn Harb (560-652 CE), a prominent leader from the Quraysh tribe in Mecca. He initially opposed the Prophet Muhammad but later converted to Islam and became a respected figure in the Muslim community.
In the realm of literature, the name Sofyan appears in the famous Arabic literary work, "One Thousand and One Nights," also known as "The Arabian Nights." This collection of Middle Eastern folk tales features a character named Sofyan al-Khoury, who is portrayed as a wealthy merchant.
Throughout history, several other individuals have borne the name Sofyan, including Sofyan ibn Uyayna (725-814 CE), a renowned Islamic scholar and hadith scholar from Basra, and Sofyan al-Thawri (716-778 CE), a prominent Islamic jurist and traditionist from Kufa.
Other notable bearers of the name Sofyan include Sofyan ibn Abd al-Rahman (720-785 CE), a respected Muslim jurist and theologian; Sofyan ibn Uyayna al-Hilali (776-864 CE), a renowned Islamic scholar and hadith transmitter; and Sofyan al-Bisti (714-798 CE), a revered Sufi mystic and ascetic from Persia.
While the name Sofyan has its roots in the Middle East and Islamic culture, it has also been adopted and used in various parts of the world due to the spread of Islam and cultural exchange. However, it remains predominantly prevalent in regions with significant Arab or Islamic influences.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sofyan over time
The chart below shows babies named Sofyan 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 Sofyan, the clearest high point is 2018. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2019, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sofyan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sofyan 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 | #4181 | 11 | 3 |
| 2000s | #3910 | 12 | 4 |
| 1990s | #2863 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Sofyan
- 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
Sofyan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sofyan in the UK right now?
In 2019, Sofyan was ranked #3937 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Sofyan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2018, with 4 babies registered as Sofyan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sofyan?
An Arabic masculine name meaning "elevated" or "noble".
How many people are called Sofyan in the UK?
A total of 26 babies have been registered as Sofyan across the 8 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.