UK boy's name
Taher
Pure, clean, virtuous; an Arabic name of Islamic origin.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2018. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Taher is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Taher popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2018 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4749, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2001, with 9 births.
This profile covers 93 England and Wales registrations across 17 recorded years from 1997 to 2018. 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 33% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 92 living people in the UK are called Taher. 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 2019 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Taher ranked #4749 for boys in England and Wales in 2018, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2001, when 9 boys were registered as Taher.
- • About 92 living people in the UK are estimated to have Taher as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4749
2018
Births in 2018
3
Latest year
Peak year
2001
9 births
Estimated living
92
2026
Meaning
What does Taher mean?
The name Taher has its origins in the Arabic language and is derived from the word "taahir," which means "pure" or "clean." This name is believed to have emerged during the early Islamic era, around the 7th century CE, and was initially associated with the Arabian Peninsula and the regions where Islam spread.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Taher can be found in the Quran, the sacred text of Islam. In the Quran, the word "taahir" is used to describe individuals who have attained a state of spiritual purity and cleanliness. This association likely contributed to the popularity of the name among Muslims.
Throughout history, the name Taher has been borne by several notable figures from various fields. One of the earliest known individuals with this name was Taher Ibn al-Husayn (776-822 CE), a renowned Arab mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the development of trigonometry and the study of celestial mechanics.
Another prominent historical figure with the name Taher was Taher al-Baghdadi (980-1037 CE), a Persian philosopher and theologian who played a crucial role in the intellectual discourse of his time. His works on philosophy, logic, and theology were highly influential and widely studied in the Islamic world.
In the realm of literature, Taher al-Isfahani (961-1038 CE) was a celebrated Arabic poet and scholar from Isfahan, Persia. His poetic works, known for their eloquence and depth, have been widely anthologized and studied by scholars of Arabic literature.
During the medieval period, the name Taher was also associated with military leaders and rulers. One such figure was Taher ibn al-Husayn (822-844 CE), a prominent governor and military commander who played a significant role in the Abbasid Caliphate's expansion and consolidation of power.
In more recent times, the name Taher has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, writers, and intellectuals. For instance, Taher Rahim (born 1981) is a renowned French actor of Algerian descent, known for his performances in films such as "A Prophet" and "The Past."
These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have borne the name Taher, a name that carries a rich cultural and linguistic heritage rooted in the Arabic tradition and associated with purity, cleanliness, and spiritual enlightenment.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Taher over time
The chart below shows babies named Taher registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 to 2018. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Taher, the clearest high point is 2001. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2018, compared with 9 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Taher by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Taher 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 | #3632 | 26 | 5 |
| 2000s | #2893 | 46 | 9 |
| 1990s | #1646 | 21 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Taher
- Thomas 160,894
- Tyler 42,147
- Theo 40,594
- Toby 32,482
- Theodore 30,211
- Tommy 25,300
- Teddy 20,781
- Taylor 14,354
- Tobias 13,102
- Tom 9,822
- Tristan 9,171
- Timothy 6,200
FAQ
Taher: questions and answers
How popular is the name Taher in the UK right now?
In 2018, Taher was ranked #4749 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Taher most popular?
The peak year on record was 2001, with 9 babies registered as Taher in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Taher?
Pure, clean, virtuous; an Arabic name of Islamic origin.
How many people are called Taher in the UK?
A total of 93 babies have been registered as Taher across the 17 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.