UK girl's name
Asima
An Arabic feminine name meaning "sinless" or "pure".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2014. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Asima is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Asima popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2014 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5691, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2002, with 5 births.
This profile covers 39 England and Wales registrations across 10 recorded years from 1996 to 2014. 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 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 39 living people in the UK are called Asima. 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 2015 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Asima ranked #5691 for girls in England and Wales in 2014, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2002, when 5 girls were registered as Asima.
- • About 39 living people in the UK are estimated to have Asima as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5691
2014
Births in 2014
3
Latest year
Peak year
2002
5 births
Estimated living
39
2026
Meaning
What does Asima mean?
The name Asima has its origins in the Arabic language. It is derived from the Arabic word "asim," which means "protector" or "defender." The name gained popularity in the Middle East and North Africa during the medieval period, particularly among Muslim communities.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Asima can be found in the Quran, the central religious text of Islam. In the Quran, the word "asim" is used to refer to someone who is protected or safeguarded from harm or evil influences.
The earliest known individual with the name Asima was Asima bint Abi Bakr, who lived in the 7th century CE. She was the daughter of Abu Bakr, one of the closest companions of the Prophet Muhammad and the first Caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate.
Another prominent historical figure with the name Asima was Asima al-Muqri, a renowned scholar of the Quran who lived in the 9th century CE. She was known for her expertise in the recitation and interpretation of the Quran and is believed to have taught many students in the city of Basra, Iraq.
In the 11th century, Asima bint al-Mu'taz, a princess of the Abbasid Caliphate, gained recognition for her literary and poetic skills. She was a patron of the arts and hosted literary salons in Baghdad, where she encouraged and supported poets and writers.
During the Mamluk period in Egypt and Syria, which lasted from the 13th to the 16th century, the name Asima gained popularity among the ruling elite. One notable figure was Asima al-Sharifa, a Mamluk princess who lived in the 14th century and was known for her philanthropic efforts and support of religious institutions.
In the 19th century, Asima al-Mirghani was a prominent Sudanese religious leader and the founder of the Khatmiyya Sufi order. She played a significant role in the spread of Islamic teachings and the promotion of education in Sudan.
These are just a few examples of individuals with the name Asima who have left their mark on history. The name has maintained its popularity within Arabic-speaking communities and continues to be used to this day, carrying the meaning of protection and defense.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Asima over time
The chart below shows babies named Asima registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2014. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Asima, the clearest high point is 2002. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2014, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Asima by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Asima 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #5691 | 3 | 1 |
| 2000s | #3735 | 26 | 6 |
| 1990s | #3623 | 10 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Asima
- 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
Asima: questions and answers
How popular is the name Asima in the UK right now?
In 2014, Asima was ranked #5691 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Asima most popular?
The peak year on record was 2002, with 5 babies registered as Asima in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Asima?
An Arabic feminine name meaning "sinless" or "pure".
How many people are called Asima in the UK?
A total of 39 babies have been registered as Asima across the 10 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.