UK girl's name
Bushra
Good tidings, a feminine name of Arabic origin.
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.
Bushra is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Bushra popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1819, with 16 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 50 births.
This profile covers 892 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 32% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 900 living people in the UK are called Bushra. 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
- • Bushra ranked #1819 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 16 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2008, when 50 girls were registered as Bushra.
- • Bushra ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #650 in 2008.
- • About 900 living people in the UK are estimated to have Bushra as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1819
2024
Births in 2024
16
Latest year
Peak year
2008
50 births
Estimated living
900
2026
Meaning
What does Bushra mean?
The name Bushra has its origins in the Arabic language. It is derived from the root word "bashar," which means "to announce good news" or "to give glad tidings." The name is believed to have been in use since the early days of Islam, around the 7th century AD.
The name Bushra is mentioned in the Quran, the holy book of Islam. In Chapter 10, Verse 64, it states: "For them are glad tidings (bushra) in the life of the present world." This verse refers to the rewards and blessings that believers will receive in this life and the hereafter.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Bushra is found in the hadiths, the record of the teachings and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad. The wife of one of the Prophet's companions, Abu Musa al-Ash'ari, was named Bushra.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Bushra. One of the most famous was Bushra bint Safwan (born around 610 AD), a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and one of the first women to embrace Islam.
Another noteworthy figure was Bushra al-Mustadiya (died in 1262 AD), a Sufi mystic and poet from Damascus, Syria. She is known for her spiritual writings and her influence on the Sufi movement in the region.
In the 19th century, Bushra Khayyat (1826-1890) was a renowned Syrian calligrapher and artist. She is celebrated for her mastery of the Arabic script and her contributions to the preservation of Islamic artistic traditions.
More recently, Bushra Ansari (born in 1956) is a renowned Pakistani comedian, actress, and playwright. She is widely recognized for her work in both television and theater, and has received numerous awards for her contributions to the entertainment industry.
Bushra al-Hallaq (born in 1969) is a Syrian writer and activist. She is known for her advocacy for women's rights and her efforts to promote peace and democracy in her home country.
The name Bushra has been popular among Muslims worldwide, particularly in the Middle East and South Asia. It is a name that carries a positive and uplifting meaning, representing the joy and good news that is associated with the Islamic faith.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Bushra over time
The chart below shows babies named Bushra 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 Bushra, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 16 births in 2024, compared with 50 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Bushra by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Bushra 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 | #1847 | 78 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1230 | 294 | 10 |
| 2000s | #748 | 395 | 10 |
| 1990s | #750 | 125 | 4 |
Geography
Where Bushra is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Bushra. 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.
Bushra ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #650 in 2008.
Across the UK
Bushra in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#650 in 2008
4 years of NRS records, 13 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Bushra
-
Bushra El-Turk
composer
British composer and music educator
1982-
Related
Names similar to Bushra
- 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
Bushra: questions and answers
How popular is the name Bushra in the UK right now?
In 2024, Bushra was ranked #1819 for girls in England and Wales, with 16 births registered.
When was Bushra most popular?
The peak year on record was 2008, with 50 babies registered as Bushra in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Bushra?
Good tidings, a feminine name of Arabic origin.
How many people are called Bushra in the UK?
A total of 892 babies have been registered as Bushra across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 13 more in Scotland.
Where is Bushra most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Bushra ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #650 in 2008. 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.