NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Aayah

A feminine Arabic name meaning "sign" or "miracle from God".

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.

Aayah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Aayah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1160, with 29 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2020, with 34 births.

This profile covers 301 England and Wales registrations across 19 recorded years from 2004 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 85% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 300 living people in the UK are called Aayah. 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

  • Aayah ranked #1160 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 29 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2020, when 34 girls were registered as Aayah.
  • About 300 living people in the UK are estimated to have Aayah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1160

2024

Births in 2024

29

Latest year

Peak year

2020

34 births

Estimated living

300

2026

Meaning

What does Aayah mean?

The name Aayah is derived from the Arabic language and is believed to have its origins in the Middle East region. It is a feminine given name that is thought to be a variant spelling of the Arabic name Aya, which means "sign," "miracle," or "verse."

The name Aayah has been in use for centuries, with some of the earliest records dating back to the 7th century CE. Its connection to the Arabic word "aya" suggests that the name may have been influenced by the Quran, the central religious text of Islam, which contains numerous references to signs, miracles, and verses.

One of the earliest known historical figures to bear the name Aayah was Aayah bint Ahmad al-Qurashi, a renowned 9th-century Islamic scholar and poet from Mecca. She was renowned for her knowledge of Arabic literature and her contributions to the field of poetry.

Another notable figure was Aayah al-Baghdadiyya, a 10th-century Muslim scholar and writer who was born in Baghdad. She was known for her expertise in various fields, including Islamic jurisprudence, hadith (prophetic traditions), and Arabic literature.

In the 12th century, Aayah al-Sulami was a prominent Sufi mystic and scholar from Persia. She was revered for her spiritual teachings and her contributions to the understanding of Sufism, a mystical branch of Islam.

During the 13th century, Aayah bint al-Qalanisi was a notable historian and writer from Damascus. She is best known for her work "The Chronicle of Damascus," which provided valuable insights into the history and culture of the region during that time period.

In the 19th century, Aayah Khayr al-Din was a renowned Syrian writer and activist who advocated for women's rights and education. She is remembered for her influential writings and her efforts to promote social and educational reform in the Middle East.

While the name Aayah has its roots in the Arabic language and culture, it has gained popularity across various regions and communities worldwide. The name's connection to the concepts of signs, miracles, and verses from the Islamic faith has contributed to its enduring significance and use throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Aayah over time

The chart below shows babies named Aayah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2004 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 Aayah, the clearest high point is 2020. The latest England and Wales figure is 29 births in 2024, compared with 34 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Aayah
09172634200420142024

Decades

Aayah by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Aayah 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 #1241 133 5
2010s #2194 151 10
2000s #4122 17 4

Related

Names similar to Aayah

FAQ

Aayah: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Aayah was ranked #1160 for girls in England and Wales, with 29 births registered.

When was Aayah most popular?

The peak year on record was 2020, with 34 babies registered as Aayah in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Aayah?

A feminine Arabic name meaning "sign" or "miracle from God".

How many people are called Aayah in the UK?

A total of 301 babies have been registered as Aayah across the 19 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.