UK girl's name
Habiba
A feminine Arabic name meaning "beloved" or "well-loved".
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.
Habiba is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Habiba popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1353, with 24 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 49 births.
This profile covers 968 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 49% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 966 living people in the UK are called Habiba. 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
- • Habiba ranked #1353 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 24 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2005, when 49 girls were registered as Habiba.
- • Habiba ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #798 in 2016.
- • About 966 living people in the UK are estimated to have Habiba as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1353
2024
Births in 2024
24
Latest year
Peak year
2005
49 births
Estimated living
966
2026
Meaning
What does Habiba mean?
The name Habiba has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "habib," which means "beloved" or "dear one." The name first appeared during the early Islamic period, around the 7th century CE, and has been used primarily in Arab and Muslim communities.
Habiba is a name that carries significant cultural and religious significance. In Islamic tradition, it is one of the names attributed to the Prophet Muhammad's daughter, Fatima al-Zahra. This association has contributed to the name's popularity among Muslims worldwide.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Habiba can be traced back to the medieval Islamic world. One notable figure was Habiba bint Amir al-Kindi, a renowned female scholar and poet from the 9th century CE, known for her contributions to Arabic literature and Islamic studies.
Throughout history, several prominent individuals have borne the name Habiba. One such figure was Habiba Msika (1805-1888), a Moroccan Jewish woman who played a significant role in the development of the Alliance Israélite Universelle, an organization dedicated to promoting education and human rights for Jews in the Middle East and North Africa.
Another notable Habiba was Habiba Messikh (1903-1985), an Algerian feminist and activist who fought for women's rights and independence in her country. She was a prominent figure in the Algerian nationalist movement and played a crucial role in advocating for women's education and empowerment.
In the realm of literature, Habiba Tanvir Naqvi (1937-2018) was a renowned Pakistani writer and poet. She was widely acclaimed for her contributions to Urdu literature and her efforts in promoting women's rights and social justice through her works.
Habiba Sarroub (born 1960) is a Yemeni-American scholar and educator who has made significant contributions to the field of literacy education. Her research focuses on the literacy practices of immigrant and minority communities, and she has written extensively on culturally responsive teaching methods.
Habiba Akiko Sarroub (born 1972) is a Japanese-American artist and sculptor. Her work often explores themes of identity, cultural hybridity, and the intersection of Eastern and Western artistic traditions. She has exhibited her sculptures and installations in various galleries and museums around the world.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Habiba over time
The chart below shows babies named Habiba 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 Habiba, the clearest high point is 2005. The latest England and Wales figure is 24 births in 2024, compared with 49 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Habiba by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Habiba 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 | #1315 | 124 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1039 | 345 | 10 |
| 2000s | #759 | 387 | 10 |
| 1990s | #802 | 112 | 4 |
Geography
Where Habiba is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Habiba. 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.
Habiba ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #798 in 2016.
Across the UK
Habiba in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#798 in 2016
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Habiba
- Hannah 67,635
- Holly 52,307
- Harriet 24,781
- Hollie 17,902
- Harper 15,784
- Heidi 12,675
- Hallie 9,873
- Hope 9,414
- Hayley 5,968
- Hazel 5,954
- Hanna 5,735
- Heather 5,497
FAQ
Habiba: questions and answers
How popular is the name Habiba in the UK right now?
In 2024, Habiba was ranked #1353 for girls in England and Wales, with 24 births registered.
When was Habiba most popular?
The peak year on record was 2005, with 49 babies registered as Habiba in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Habiba?
A feminine Arabic name meaning "beloved" or "well-loved".
How many people are called Habiba in the UK?
A total of 968 babies have been registered as Habiba across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Habiba most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Habiba ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #798 in 2016. 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.