UK girl's name
Aneesa
From Arabic, meaning "friendly woman" or "companion".
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.
Aneesa is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Aneesa popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2115, with 13 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 82 births.
This profile covers 1,019 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.
The latest count is about 16% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 1,058 living people in the UK are called Aneesa. 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
- • Aneesa ranked #2115 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 13 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 82 girls were registered as Aneesa.
- • Aneesa ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #808 in 2017.
- • About 1,058 living people in the UK are estimated to have Aneesa as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2115
2024
Births in 2024
13
Latest year
Peak year
1996
82 births
Estimated living
1,058
2026
Meaning
What does Aneesa mean?
The name Aneesa originates from the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic root word "uns," which means companionship or intimacy. The name is believed to have originated around the 7th century CE during the rise of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula.
In Arabic, the name Aneesa is written as أنيسة (Aneesa). It is a feminine form of the masculine name Anees, which also stems from the same root word "uns." The name is commonly found in various Arabic-speaking regions, including the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Asia.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Aneesa can be found in Islamic literature, particularly in hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad). There are mentions of women named Aneesa during the early Islamic era, indicating the name's usage among the Muslim community at that time.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Aneesa. One of the earliest recorded examples is Aneesa bint Malik (born circa 620 CE), a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and one of the early converts to Islam. Another prominent figure is Aneesa al-Qurashiya (born around 650 CE), a renowned Muslim scholar and poet from Medina.
In the modern era, Aneesa Hemat (1934-2008) was a celebrated Afghan educator and women's rights activist who played a pivotal role in promoting female education in Afghanistan. Aneesa Feras (born 1972) is a Jordanian journalist and television personality known for her work in advocating for human rights and social issues.
Aneesa Waheed (born 1980) is a British actress and writer who has appeared in various television shows and films, including "Eastenders" and "Doctors." Aneesa Abbas (born 1981) is a Pakistani squash player who has represented her country in numerous international tournaments and won several titles.
Aneesa Ferreira (born 1991) is a professional surfer from Hawaii who has achieved significant success in the World Surf League, winning multiple championships and being recognized as one of the top female surfers in the world.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Aneesa over time
The chart below shows babies named Aneesa 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 Aneesa, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 13 births in 2024, compared with 82 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Aneesa by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Aneesa 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 | #2576 | 50 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1422 | 247 | 10 |
| 2000s | #734 | 434 | 10 |
| 1990s | #429 | 288 | 4 |
Geography
Where Aneesa is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Aneesa. 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.
Aneesa ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #808 in 2017.
Across the UK
Aneesa in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#808 in 2017
13 years of NRS records, 46 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Aneesa
-
Aneesa Abbas Higgins
translator
literary translator
Related
Names similar to Aneesa
- 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
Aneesa: questions and answers
How popular is the name Aneesa in the UK right now?
In 2024, Aneesa was ranked #2115 for girls in England and Wales, with 13 births registered.
When was Aneesa most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 82 babies registered as Aneesa in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Aneesa?
From Arabic, meaning "friendly woman" or "companion".
How many people are called Aneesa in the UK?
A total of 1,019 babies have been registered as Aneesa across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 46 more in Scotland.
Where is Aneesa most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Aneesa ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #808 in 2017. 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.