UK girl's name
Halima
A feminine Arabic name meaning "gentle" or "mild-mannered.".
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.
Halima is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Halima popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #341, with 127 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2012, with 149 births.
This profile covers 3,346 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 85% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 3,363 living people in the UK are called Halima. 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
- • Halima ranked #341 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 127 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2012, when 149 girls were registered as Halima.
- • Halima ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #638 in 2024.
- • About 3,363 living people in the UK are estimated to have Halima as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#341
2024
Births in 2024
127
Latest year
Peak year
2012
149 births
Estimated living
3,363
2026
Meaning
What does Halima mean?
The name Halima is of Arabic origin, derived from the root word "hilm" which means gentleness, forbearance, or clemency. It is a feminine name that has been in use since ancient times in the Middle East and North Africa.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Halima is found in the Islamic tradition, where it was the name of the foster-mother of the Prophet Muhammad. According to Islamic sources, Halima bint Abi Dhuayb was a woman from the Banu Sa'd tribe who nursed and cared for the Prophet in his infancy.
In the 8th century, Halima bint al-Hajjaj was a prominent female scholar and hadith narrator from Medina. She was known for her vast knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence and her contributions to the preservation of the Prophet's teachings.
During the Abbasid Caliphate, Halima bint al-Husayn al-Hashimiyya was a renowned poet and literary figure who lived in Baghdad in the 9th century. Her poetry was celebrated for its elegance and depth, and she was a prominent figure in the intellectual circles of her time.
In the 14th century, Halima Sultan was a powerful and influential figure in the Ottoman Empire. She was the daughter of Sultan Murad II and played a significant role in the political affairs of the empire during her lifetime.
Halima Bint Aba Darda was a 7th-century companion of the Prophet Muhammad and is remembered for her piety and devotion to Islam. She was known for her charitable works and her commitment to spreading the teachings of the Prophet.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Halima. The name has remained popular in the Arab world and among Muslim communities worldwide, with its meaning and historical significance continuing to resonate.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Halima over time
The chart below shows babies named Halima 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 Halima, the clearest high point is 2012. The latest England and Wales figure is 127 births in 2024, compared with 149 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Halima by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Halima 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 | #360 | 610 | 5 |
| 2010s | #389 | 1,184 | 10 |
| 2000s | #344 | 1,158 | 10 |
| 1990s | #344 | 394 | 4 |
Geography
Where Halima is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Halima. 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.
Halima ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #638 in 2024.
Across the UK
Halima in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#638 in 2024
7 years of NRS records, 35 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Halima
-
Halima Bashir
writer; human rights defender; journalist
Sudanese doctor and author
1979-
Related
Names similar to Halima
- 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
Halima: questions and answers
How popular is the name Halima in the UK right now?
In 2024, Halima was ranked #341 for girls in England and Wales, with 127 births registered.
When was Halima most popular?
The peak year on record was 2012, with 149 babies registered as Halima in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Halima?
A feminine Arabic name meaning "gentle" or "mild-mannered.".
How many people are called Halima in the UK?
A total of 3,346 babies have been registered as Halima across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 35 more in Scotland.
Where is Halima most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Halima ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #638 in 2024. 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.