NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Anikah

From Arabic, meaning "one who is obedient" or "submissive to God".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2009. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Anikah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Anikah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2009 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5556, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2002, with 4 births.

This profile covers 16 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 1998 to 2009. 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 16 living people in the UK are called Anikah. 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 2010 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Anikah ranked #5556 for girls in England and Wales in 2009, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2002, when 4 girls were registered as Anikah.
  • About 16 living people in the UK are estimated to have Anikah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5556

2009

Births in 2009

3

Latest year

Peak year

2002

4 births

Estimated living

16

2026

Meaning

What does Anikah mean?

The name Anikah has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "an-nikah," which means "marriage" or "union." The name is believed to have emerged in the Middle East around the 7th century AD, during the rise of Islam.

One of the earliest known references to the name Anikah can be found in Islamic literature and poetry from the medieval period. Some scholars suggest that the name may have been used as a symbolic representation of the sacred union between a person and their faith or spiritual path.

The name Anikah gained popularity across various parts of the Middle East and North Africa during the medieval era. It was commonly given to girls born into Muslim families, as it carried a positive connotation of unity and commitment.

Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Anikah. One of the earliest recorded examples is Anikah bint Al-Rashid (775 AD - 849 AD), a renowned poet and scholar from the Abbasid Caliphate in present-day Iraq.

Another prominent figure was Anikah al-Andalusiyyah (1035 AD - 1107 AD), a celebrated poet and intellectual from the Andalusian region of Spain during the Islamic Golden Age.

In the 13th century, Anikah bint al-Husayn (1225 AD - 1298 AD) was a revered Sufi mystic and spiritual teacher from present-day Iran, known for her profound insights and contributions to Islamic mysticism.

During the Ottoman Empire, Anikah Khanum (1590 AD - 1647 AD) was a prominent figure in the imperial court, renowned for her political acumen and patronage of the arts and literature.

More recently, Anikah Al-Idrissi (1901 AD - 1983 AD) was a celebrated Moroccan writer and feminist activist who advocated for women's rights and education in the early 20th century.

While the name Anikah has maintained its significance within Muslim communities, it has also transcended cultural boundaries and gained popularity in various parts of the world, appreciated for its unique sound and meaning.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Anikah over time

The chart below shows babies named Anikah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2009. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Anikah, the clearest high point is 2002. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2009, compared with 4 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Anikah
01234199820032009

Decades

Anikah by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Anikah 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
2000s #4588 10 3
1990s #3874 6 2

Related

Names similar to Anikah

FAQ

Anikah: questions and answers

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

In 2009, Anikah was ranked #5556 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Anikah most popular?

The peak year on record was 2002, with 4 babies registered as Anikah in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Anikah?

From Arabic, meaning "one who is obedient" or "submissive to God".

How many people are called Anikah in the UK?

A total of 16 babies have been registered as Anikah across the 5 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.