NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Zaneb

Feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "tail", particularly that of a bird.

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 1998. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Zaneb is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Zaneb popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 1998 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3142, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1998, with 4 births.

This profile covers 4 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 1998 to 1998. 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.

Zaneb is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 4 living people in the UK are called Zaneb. 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 1999 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Zaneb ranked #3142 for girls in England and Wales in 1998, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1998, when 4 girls were registered as Zaneb.
  • About 4 living people in the UK are estimated to have Zaneb as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3142

1998

Births in 1998

4

Latest year

Peak year

1998

4 births

Estimated living

4

2026

Meaning

What does Zaneb mean?

The given name Zaneb is of Arabic origin, derived from the word "Zanab" which means "tail" or "trailing part" in Arabic. This name has been in use since ancient times, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa.

The earliest recorded use of the name Zaneb can be traced back to the 7th century CE, during the time of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. One of the wives of Muhammad was named Zaneb bint Jahsh, who was also the cousin of the prophet.

In Islamic literature and scriptures, the name Zaneb is mentioned in several instances. For example, in the Qur'an, the 33rd chapter is titled "Surah Al-Ahzab" (The Confederates), which includes verses referring to the incident known as the "Slander against Ayesha and Zaneb."

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Zaneb. One of the earliest was Zaneb bint Al-Ghazzali, a renowned Islamic scholar and mystic who lived in the 12th century CE. She was the daughter of the famous philosopher and theologian Al-Ghazali.

Another famous Zaneb was Zaneb Al-Fawwaz, a 13th-century Arab poet and writer from Damascus, Syria. Her poetry and literary works were widely celebrated during her time.

In the 16th century, Zaneb Begum was a prominent figure in the Mughal Empire of South Asia. She was the daughter of Emperor Humayun and sister of the legendary Akbar the Great.

One of the most recent notable figures with the name Zaneb was Zaneb Al-Ghazali, an Egyptian activist and leader of the Muslim Brotherhood organization in the 20th century. She played a significant role in the Egyptian national movement against British colonial rule.

Zaneb Jah, an Afghan-American human rights activist and entrepreneur, is another individual who has carried this name in modern times. She has been actively involved in promoting education and empowerment for women and girls in Afghanistan.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Decades

Zaneb by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Zaneb 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
1990s #3142 4 1

Related

Names similar to Zaneb

FAQ

Zaneb: questions and answers

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

In 1998, Zaneb was ranked #3142 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Zaneb most popular?

The peak year on record was 1998, with 4 babies registered as Zaneb in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Zaneb?

Feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "tail", particularly that of a bird.

How many people are called Zaneb in the UK?

A total of 4 babies have been registered as Zaneb across the 1 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.