UK boy's name
Suhail
A masculine Arabic name meaning "constellation of stars".
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.
Suhail is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Suhail popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2671, with 8 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 23 births.
This profile covers 322 England and Wales registrations across 26 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 35% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 319 living people in the UK are called Suhail. 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
- • Suhail ranked #2671 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 8 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1997, when 23 boys were registered as Suhail.
- • About 319 living people in the UK are estimated to have Suhail as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2671
2024
Births in 2024
8
Latest year
Peak year
1997
23 births
Estimated living
319
2026
Meaning
What does Suhail mean?
The name Suhail is of Arabic origin and has been in use since ancient times. It is derived from the Arabic word "saheel," which means "easy" or "smooth." The name is also associated with the star Canopus, one of the brightest stars in the night sky, known as "Sohail" in Arabic.
In Islamic tradition, Suhail is mentioned in the Quran as the name of a star that guided the travelers in the desert. The name gained popularity among Muslims as a result of this association with celestial navigation and the divine guidance provided by the stars.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Suhail can be found in the works of the renowned Arab poet and scholar, Al-Mutanabbi (915-965 CE). He wrote a famous poem praising the qualities of a person named Suhail, describing him as noble, brave, and generous.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Suhail. One of the most famous was Suhail ibn Abi Salih (718-786 CE), a revered Islamic scholar and jurist from Kufa, Iraq. He was known for his expertise in hadith (the sayings and traditions of Prophet Muhammad) and his contributions to the development of Islamic jurisprudence.
Another prominent figure was Suhail ibn Nafi (670-720 CE), a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and a skilled warrior who played a crucial role in the early Muslim conquests. He was known for his bravery and military exploits during the Islamic expansion in the 7th century.
In the realm of science, Suhail ibn Bahram al-Zanjani (fl. 10th century CE) was an influential Persian astronomer and mathematician. He made significant contributions to the development of astronomical instruments and the study of celestial mechanics.
During the Mamluk era in Egypt, Suhail al-Shaykhuni (d. 1349 CE) was a prominent historian and biographer. His works provide valuable insights into the political and cultural landscape of the Mamluk sultanate in the 13th and 14th centuries.
In more recent times, Suhail Daulatzai (1919-2012) was a renowned Pakistani journalist, author, and poet. He was a prominent figure in the literary circles of Pakistan and known for his contributions to Urdu literature and journalism.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Suhail over time
The chart below shows babies named Suhail 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 Suhail, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 8 births in 2024, compared with 23 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Suhail by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Suhail 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 | #3817 | 15 | 3 |
| 2010s | #2744 | 71 | 9 |
| 2000s | #1296 | 153 | 10 |
| 1990s | #761 | 83 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Suhail
- 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
Suhail: questions and answers
How popular is the name Suhail in the UK right now?
In 2024, Suhail was ranked #2671 for boys in England and Wales, with 8 births registered.
When was Suhail most popular?
The peak year on record was 1997, with 23 babies registered as Suhail in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Suhail?
A masculine Arabic name meaning "constellation of stars".
How many people are called Suhail in the UK?
A total of 322 babies have been registered as Suhail across the 26 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.