NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Amirah

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "princess" or "female ruler".

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.

Amirah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Amirah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #240, with 202 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 202 births.

This profile covers 3,185 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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.

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

We estimate that about 3,275 living people in the UK are called Amirah. 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

  • Amirah ranked #240 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 202 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2024, when 202 girls were registered as Amirah.
  • Amirah ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #391 in 2023.
  • About 3,275 living people in the UK are estimated to have Amirah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#240

2024

Births in 2024

202

Latest year

Peak year

2024

202 births

Estimated living

3,275

2026

Meaning

What does Amirah mean?

The name Amirah is of Arabic origin and is derived from the word "amir," which means "prince" or "commander." It is a feminine variation of the masculine name Amir, and its root can be traced back to ancient Semitic languages.

The name Amirah first gained popularity in the Middle East during the Islamic Golden Age, a time of significant cultural, scientific, and intellectual achievements in the region. It was often associated with nobility and leadership, as the title "amir" was given to rulers and military commanders.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Amirah can be found in classical Arabic literature, such as the poetry of the renowned 7th-century poet Al-Khansa. In her poems, she referred to her daughter as Amirah, which suggests that the name was in use during that era.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Amirah. One example is Amirah Bint Tuwayl, a 9th-century Arabian poet and scholar known for her contributions to literature and education. Another is Amirah al-Sayf, a 13th-century Syrian princess and patron of the arts, who played a significant role in the cultural life of Damascus.

In the 19th century, Amirah Isma'il Pasha was an Egyptian princess and philanthropist who established several schools and hospitals in Cairo. She was influential in promoting education and healthcare initiatives during her lifetime.

Amirah Mahmoud was a 20th-century Egyptian writer and activist who advocated for women's rights and social reform. Her works, including novels and essays, explored themes of gender equality and societal change.

Another notable figure is Amirah Safiya, an Iraqi novelist and academic who has written extensively on issues related to women's empowerment and cultural identity in the Middle East.

The name Amirah continues to be popular in Arabic-speaking countries and among Muslim communities around the world, often chosen for its connotations of strength, leadership, and nobility.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Amirah over time

The chart below shows babies named Amirah 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 Amirah, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 202 births in 2024, compared with 202 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Amirah
051101152202199620102024

Decades

Amirah by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Amirah 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 #296 793 5
2010s #333 1,412 10
2000s #452 831 10
1990s #701 149 4

Geography

Where Amirah is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Amirah. 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.

Amirah ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #391 in 2023.

Scotland
7
Northern Ireland
3

Across the UK

Amirah in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#431 in 2024

16 years of NRS records, 80 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#391 in 2023

6 years of NISRA records, 26 total registered

Related

Names similar to Amirah

FAQ

Amirah: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Amirah was ranked #240 for girls in England and Wales, with 202 births registered.

When was Amirah most popular?

The peak year on record was 2024, with 202 babies registered as Amirah in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Amirah?

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "princess" or "female ruler".

How many people are called Amirah in the UK?

A total of 3,185 babies have been registered as Amirah across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 80 more in Scotland and 26 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Amirah most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Amirah ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #391 in 2023. 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.