UK boy's name
Zayd
A masculine Arabic name meaning "he who grows or increases".
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.
Zayd is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Zayd popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #201, with 250 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 250 births.
This profile covers 2,609 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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.
Zayd is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 2,624 living people in the UK are called Zayd. 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
- • Zayd ranked #201 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 250 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2024, when 250 boys were registered as Zayd.
- • Zayd ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #478 in 2024.
- • About 2,624 living people in the UK are estimated to have Zayd as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#201
2024
Births in 2024
250
Latest year
Peak year
2024
250 births
Estimated living
2,624
2026
Meaning
What does Zayd mean?
The name Zayd is an Arabic name that traces its roots back to pre-Islamic Arabia. It is derived from the Arabic word "zayd," which means "increase" or "abundance." The name was commonly used in the Arabian Peninsula during the 6th and 7th centuries.
One of the most notable historical figures with the name Zayd is Zayd ibn Harithah, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad. He was a former slave who was adopted and freed by Muhammad. Zayd fought alongside Muhammad in several battles and is revered in Islamic history for his bravery and devotion to the faith.
Another prominent figure with the name Zayd is Zayd ibn Ali, a revolutionary leader and descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. He led an uprising against the Umayyad Caliphate in the 8th century, seeking to establish a more just and equitable society. Although his rebellion was ultimately crushed, he is remembered as a champion of social justice.
In the realm of literature, Zayd ibn Amr is a notable figure from the pre-Islamic era. He is credited with being one of the first Arabs to reject idolatry and embrace monotheism. His teachings and ideas are said to have influenced the development of Islam.
During the Abbasid Caliphate, Zayd ibn Ali ibn al-Husayn, also known as Zayd al-Nar (Zayd the Fire), was a prominent scholar and theologian. He made significant contributions to the field of Islamic jurisprudence and is remembered for his expertise in the interpretation of the Quran and Hadith.
Another historical figure with the name Zayd is Zayd ibn Thabit, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and one of the earliest scholars of the Quran. He played a crucial role in the compilation and preservation of the Quranic text, and his contributions to Islamic scholarship are highly regarded.
Throughout history, the name Zayd has been carried by numerous individuals, each leaving their mark in various fields, from religious scholarship and literature to politics and social reform. Its enduring popularity can be attributed to its rich cultural heritage and the significance it holds within the Islamic tradition.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Zayd over time
The chart below shows babies named Zayd 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 Zayd, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 250 births in 2024, compared with 250 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zayd by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Zayd 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 | #241 | 1,009 | 5 |
| 2010s | #389 | 1,181 | 10 |
| 2000s | #693 | 372 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1146 | 47 | 4 |
Geography
Where Zayd is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Zayd. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Zayd ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #478 in 2024.
Across the UK
Zayd in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#478 in 2024
8 years of NRS records, 31 total registered
Related
Names similar to Zayd
- Zachary 29,362
- Zak 9,988
- Zain 7,620
- Zac 7,272
- Zack 7,101
- Zakariya 5,447
- Zach 4,754
- Zayn 4,326
- Zachariah 3,234
- Zion 3,141
- Zane 2,818
- Zayan 2,318
FAQ
Zayd: questions and answers
How popular is the name Zayd in the UK right now?
In 2024, Zayd was ranked #201 for boys in England and Wales, with 250 births registered.
When was Zayd most popular?
The peak year on record was 2024, with 250 babies registered as Zayd in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Zayd?
A masculine Arabic name meaning "he who grows or increases".
How many people are called Zayd in the UK?
A total of 2,609 babies have been registered as Zayd across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 31 more in Scotland.
Where is Zayd most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Zayd ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #478 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.