NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Yafi

A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "overflowing with forgiveness".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Yafi is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Yafi popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4107, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2011, with 5 births.

This profile covers 25 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 2011 to 2023. 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 80% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 25 living people in the UK are called Yafi. 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 2024 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Yafi ranked #4107 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2011, when 5 boys were registered as Yafi.
  • About 25 living people in the UK are estimated to have Yafi as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4107

2023

Births in 2023

4

Latest year

Peak year

2011

5 births

Estimated living

25

2026

Meaning

What does Yafi mean?

The name Yafi has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "yafa," which means "to flourish" or "to blossom." The name is believed to have been in use since ancient times, possibly as early as the 7th century CE, during the rise of Islamic civilization.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Yafi can be found in the writings of renowned Islamic scholars and historians from the medieval period. For example, the 9th-century historian al-Baladhuri mentioned a person named Yafi ibn al-Harith in his work "Futuh al-Buldan" (Conquest of Lands).

In the 11th century, a prominent Persian poet and mystic, Yafi al-Shirazi (born around 1020 CE), gained recognition for his literary works, including the famous collection of poetry "Diwan." His full name, Yafi ibn Muhammad al-Shirazi, became widely known and celebrated in the Persian literary tradition.

Another noteworthy individual bearing the name Yafi was Yafi ibn Zayd (born around 1150 CE), a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist from the Maliki school of jurisprudence. He authored several influential works on Islamic law and theology, cementing his legacy in the realm of Islamic scholarship.

In the 13th century, Yafi ibn Ali al-Andalusi (born around 1210 CE) was a prominent Andalusian historian and writer from Muslim-ruled Spain. His work, "Al-Muqtabis fi Tarikh Rijal al-Andalus" (The Gleaned from the History of the Men of Andalusia), is considered a valuable source for understanding the history and culture of medieval Andalusia.

During the 15th century, Yafi ibn Nasir al-Din al-Hanafi (born around 1420 CE) was a notable Islamic scholar and jurist from the Hanafi school of jurisprudence. He authored several influential works on Islamic law and theology, contributing to the intellectual discourse of his time.

While the name Yafi has its roots in the Arabic language and Islamic culture, it has also been adopted and used in various regions and communities influenced by Islamic civilization throughout history. The name carries connotations of flourishing, growth, and prosperity, reflecting the cultural and linguistic heritage from which it originated.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Yafi over time

The chart below shows babies named Yafi registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2011 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Yafi, the clearest high point is 2011. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2023, compared with 5 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Yafi
01345201120172023

Decades

Yafi by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Yafi 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 #3978 8 2
2010s #3878 17 4

Related

Names similar to Yafi

FAQ

Yafi: questions and answers

How popular is the name Yafi in the UK right now?

In 2023, Yafi was ranked #4107 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Yafi most popular?

The peak year on record was 2011, with 5 babies registered as Yafi in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Yafi?

A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "overflowing with forgiveness".

How many people are called Yafi in the UK?

A total of 25 babies have been registered as Yafi across the 6 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.