UK girl's name
Balqis
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "Queen" or "Beautiful Queen".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Balqis is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Balqis popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4056, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 8 births.
This profile covers 45 England and Wales registrations across 11 recorded years from 2003 to 2023. 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 63% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 45 living people in the UK are called Balqis. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Balqis ranked #4056 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 8 girls were registered as Balqis.
- • About 45 living people in the UK are estimated to have Balqis as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4056
2023
Births in 2023
5
Latest year
Peak year
2010
8 births
Estimated living
45
2026
Meaning
What does Balqis mean?
The name Balqis is an Arabic name with roots in ancient Middle Eastern history. It is derived from the Semitic root "b-l-q-s" which means "to meet" or "to gather". The name is believed to have originated in the region of ancient Yemen, which was known as the Kingdom of Sheba during biblical times.
The name Balqis is most famously associated with the Queen of Sheba, a powerful and wealthy ruler mentioned in religious texts such as the Bible and the Quran. In the Quran, she is referred to as Balqis, the Queen of Sheba, who visited King Solomon in Jerusalem. This encounter is described in detail, depicting her as a wise and intelligent leader.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Balqis can be found in the Qur'anic verses and Islamic literature from the 7th century AD. However, the name's origins likely predate Islam, as the Kingdom of Sheba flourished centuries earlier, around the 10th century BC.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Balqis. One of the most famous was Balqis, the Queen of Sheba, who ruled over the ancient Kingdom of Sheba in what is now Yemen. Her reign is estimated to have been around the 10th century BC, though the exact dates are uncertain.
Another famous Balqis was Balqis bint Ruzzaik, a 7th-century Arab poet and warrior from the Umayyad Caliphate. She was renowned for her bravery and skill in battle, as well as her poetic talents.
In the 12th century, there was Balqis, a princess of the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt. She was known for her intelligence and love of knowledge, and she played a role in the cultural and intellectual life of the Ayyubid court.
In more recent history, Balqis Fatima Dirani was a 20th-century Lebanese writer and activist. Born in 1897, she was a pioneer in the women's rights movement in Lebanon and wrote extensively on the subject of women's empowerment.
Additionally, Balqis Aden was a Somali-American model and activist, born in 1986. She was the first hijab-wearing model to be featured in major fashion campaigns and has been an advocate for diversity and representation in the fashion industry.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Balqis over time
The chart below shows babies named Balqis registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2003 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Balqis, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2023, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Balqis by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Balqis 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 | #4863 | 8 | 2 |
| 2010s | #4574 | 23 | 5 |
| 2000s | #4430 | 14 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Balqis
- Bethany 43,226
- Brooke 18,370
- Bella 14,112
- Bonnie 12,149
- Beatrice 11,306
- Bethan 7,968
- Beth 6,440
- Betsy 5,065
- Beatrix 4,317
- Billie 4,220
- Beau 3,231
- Bryony 3,167
FAQ
Balqis: questions and answers
How popular is the name Balqis in the UK right now?
In 2023, Balqis was ranked #4056 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Balqis most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 8 babies registered as Balqis in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Balqis?
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "Queen" or "Beautiful Queen".
How many people are called Balqis in the UK?
A total of 45 babies have been registered as Balqis across the 11 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.