UK girl's name
Inayah
An Arabic feminine name derived from the phrase "an'amahu Allah", meaning "one favored by God".
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.
Inayah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Inayah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #243, with 198 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 198 births.
This profile covers 2,680 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.
Inayah is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 2,724 living people in the UK are called Inayah. 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
- • Inayah ranked #243 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 198 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2024, when 198 girls were registered as Inayah.
- • Inayah ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #638 in 2024.
- • About 2,724 living people in the UK are estimated to have Inayah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#243
2024
Births in 2024
198
Latest year
Peak year
2024
198 births
Estimated living
2,724
2026
Meaning
What does Inayah mean?
The name Inayah is an Arabic name derived from the root word "nawa," meaning "to intend" or "to have a purpose." It is believed to have originated in the Middle East during the early Islamic period, around the 7th century AD.
The name Inayah is closely associated with the concept of divine guidance, protection, and care in Islamic tradition. It is often interpreted as "God's care," "divine favor," or "divine guidance." The name holds significant spiritual and religious connotations within the Islamic faith.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Inayah can be found in historical Islamic texts and literary works from the medieval period. It was a popular name among Muslim scholars, poets, and religious figures during that time.
In the 10th century, Inayah al-Asadi was a renowned Arabic poet and literary figure who was highly celebrated for her contributions to the literary arts. Her poetry often explored themes of love, spirituality, and the human experience.
Another notable figure with the name Inayah was Inayah al-Baghdadi, a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist who lived in the 11th century. He was known for his contributions to Islamic jurisprudence and his extensive knowledge of the Quran and Hadith.
In the 13th century, Inayah al-Dimashqi was a prominent Syrian scholar and historian who authored several works on Islamic history, geography, and literature. His writings provided valuable insights into the cultural and intellectual life of the medieval Islamic world.
During the Ottoman Empire, the name Inayah was often bestowed upon princesses and noblewomen, reflecting its association with grace, nobility, and divine favor. One such figure was Inayah Sultan, the daughter of Sultan Murad III, who lived in the 16th century.
Throughout history, the name Inayah has been carried by various influential figures, scholars, poets, and religious leaders within the Islamic world, reflecting its deep-rooted cultural and spiritual significance.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Inayah over time
The chart below shows babies named Inayah 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 Inayah, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 198 births in 2024, compared with 198 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Inayah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Inayah 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 | #321 | 744 | 5 |
| 2010s | #333 | 1,448 | 10 |
| 2000s | #762 | 461 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2488 | 27 | 4 |
Geography
Where Inayah is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Inayah. 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.
Inayah ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #638 in 2024.
Across the UK
Inayah in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#638 in 2024
13 years of NRS records, 57 total registered
Related
Names similar to Inayah
- Isabella 58,822
- Isla 51,854
- Isabelle 46,163
- Imogen 33,758
- Ivy 23,306
- Isabel 20,895
- Isobel 19,706
- Iris 10,353
- India 8,371
- Iqra 4,452
- Indie 3,873
- Iona 3,682
FAQ
Inayah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Inayah in the UK right now?
In 2024, Inayah was ranked #243 for girls in England and Wales, with 198 births registered.
When was Inayah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2024, with 198 babies registered as Inayah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Inayah?
An Arabic feminine name derived from the phrase "an'amahu Allah", meaning "one favored by God".
How many people are called Inayah in the UK?
A total of 2,680 babies have been registered as Inayah across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 57 more in Scotland.
Where is Inayah most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Inayah 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.