UK girl's name
Akeelah
A feminine Arabic name meaning "logic" or "intelligent".
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.
Akeelah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Akeelah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5687, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 12 births.
This profile covers 68 England and Wales registrations across 14 recorded years from 2007 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 25% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 68 living people in the UK are called Akeelah. 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
- • Akeelah ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 12 girls were registered as Akeelah.
- • About 68 living people in the UK are estimated to have Akeelah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5687
2023
Births in 2023
3
Latest year
Peak year
2010
12 births
Estimated living
68
2026
Meaning
What does Akeelah mean?
The name Akeelah has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It derives from the Arabic word "aqila" which means "intelligent" or "wise." The name is believed to have emerged during the early Islamic period, around the 7th century AD, when Arabic was the predominant language of the Middle East and parts of North Africa.
In Arabic, the name Akeelah is typically spelled with the Arabic letters "عقيلة" (alif, qaf, ya, lam, ha). It is a feminine name, often given to girls with the intention of blessing them with wisdom and intellect. The name's association with intelligence and sagacity made it a popular choice among Arabic-speaking communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Akeelah can be found in historical accounts from the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled over vast territories in the Middle East and North Africa from the 8th to the 13th century. During this period, the name was borne by several notable women, including Akeelah bint Al-Mundhir, a renowned poet and scholar who lived in the 9th century.
Throughout history, the name Akeelah has been carried by various influential figures. One such individual was Akeelah Al-Malikah, a 12th-century Arab mathematician and astronomer from Mosul, Iraq. Her contributions to the field of mathematics, particularly in the study of algebraic equations, earned her recognition and respect.
Another prominent figure with the name Akeelah was Akeelah bint Malik Al-Hadrami, a 15th-century Yemeni scholar and poet. She was known for her expertise in Islamic jurisprudence and her poetic works, which were widely celebrated in the Arabian Peninsula.
In the 17th century, Akeelah Al-Baghdadi, a renowned calligrapher and artist from Baghdad, gained acclaim for her intricate and beautiful calligraphic works. Her artistry and mastery of the Arabic script made her a significant figure in the realm of Islamic art and calligraphy.
Akeelah Al-Sulami, a 19th-century Arab philosopher and theologian from the region of Najd in modern-day Saudi Arabia, was also a notable bearer of the name. Her writings and teachings on Islamic philosophy and spirituality earned her a respected place among Islamic scholars of her time.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Akeelah over time
The chart below shows babies named Akeelah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2007 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 Akeelah, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 12 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Akeelah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Akeelah 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 | #5634 | 6 | 2 |
| 2010s | #4051 | 52 | 9 |
| 2000s | #5094 | 10 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Akeelah
- Amelia 94,830
- Ava 54,556
- Amy 52,495
- Alice 46,815
- Abigail 45,658
- Amber 31,922
- Anna 27,802
- Alexandra 19,455
- Amelie 18,051
- Abbie 15,971
- Aimee 15,158
- Annabelle 15,120
FAQ
Akeelah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Akeelah in the UK right now?
In 2023, Akeelah was ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Akeelah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 12 babies registered as Akeelah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Akeelah?
A feminine Arabic name meaning "logic" or "intelligent".
How many people are called Akeelah in the UK?
A total of 68 babies have been registered as Akeelah across the 14 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.