UK girl's name
Aqila
An Arabic feminine name meaning "she who is intelligent and wise".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2006. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Aqila is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Aqila popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2006 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4157, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1998, with 5 births.
This profile covers 19 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 1998 to 2006. 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 80% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 19 living people in the UK are called Aqila. 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 2007 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Aqila ranked #4157 for girls in England and Wales in 2006, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1998, when 5 girls were registered as Aqila.
- • About 19 living people in the UK are estimated to have Aqila as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4157
2006
Births in 2006
4
Latest year
Peak year
1998
5 births
Estimated living
19
2026
Meaning
What does Aqila mean?
The name Aqila has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "aqeel," which means intelligent or wise. The name likely emerged during the early centuries of the Islamic era, around the 7th century AD, when Arabic names became widespread across the Middle East and North Africa.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Aqila can be found in the biographical works of Muslim scholars from the 8th and 9th centuries AD. These works often mentioned individuals with this name, indicating its usage during the early Islamic period. However, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact origin or earliest known bearer of the name due to the scarcity of historical records from that time.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Aqila. One such figure was Aqila al-Miqri, a renowned Arab grammarian and linguist who lived in the 8th century AD in present-day Morocco. He made significant contributions to the study of Arabic grammar and wrote several influential works on the subject.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Aqila ibn Abi Talib, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad and a companion of his. He lived in the 7th century AD and played a role in the early Islamic conquests and the spread of Islam across the Arabian Peninsula and beyond.
In the modern era, Aqila Abbas Jafri, an Indian writer and scholar born in 1923, gained recognition for her works on Islamic literature and Urdu poetry. She received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to the literary world.
Aqila Salah, an Egyptian journalist and writer born in 1961, is another notable figure with this name. She has written extensively on women's issues and has been a vocal advocate for women's rights in the Middle East.
Aqila Begum, a 16th-century Mughal princess and the daughter of Emperor Akbar, was also known by this name. She played a significant role in the cultural and artistic development of the Mughal Empire during her lifetime.
While the name Aqila has its roots in the Arabic language and Islamic culture, it has since been adopted by various communities around the world, particularly in regions with significant Muslim populations. The name continues to be popular and holds a strong connection to its rich historical and cultural heritage.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Aqila over time
The chart below shows babies named Aqila registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2006. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Aqila, the clearest high point is 1998. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2006, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Aqila by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Aqila 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 | #3980 | 11 | 3 |
| 1990s | #3301 | 8 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Aqila
- 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
Aqila: questions and answers
How popular is the name Aqila in the UK right now?
In 2006, Aqila was ranked #4157 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Aqila most popular?
The peak year on record was 1998, with 5 babies registered as Aqila in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Aqila?
An Arabic feminine name meaning "she who is intelligent and wise".
How many people are called Aqila in the UK?
A total of 19 babies have been registered as Aqila 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.