NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Kadija

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "the one who is enough".

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.

Kadija is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Kadija popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3598, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 18 births.

This profile covers 185 England and Wales registrations across 25 recorded years from 1996 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 33% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 184 living people in the UK are called Kadija. 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

  • Kadija ranked #3598 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 6 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2008, when 18 girls were registered as Kadija.
  • About 184 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kadija as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3598

2023

Births in 2023

6

Latest year

Peak year

2008

18 births

Estimated living

184

2026

Meaning

What does Kadija mean?

The given name Kadija is derived from the Arabic name Khadijah, which has its origins in the pre-Islamic era of the Arabian Peninsula. It is believed to be derived from the Semitic root word "kh-d-j," which means "to be born premature" or "to arise before the due time."

The name gained significant prominence in Islamic history as it was the name of Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad. Khadijah was a successful businesswoman in Mecca and is revered in Islamic tradition for being one of the first converts to Islam and a staunch supporter of the Prophet's mission.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Khadijah can be found in the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, where she is mentioned by name in several verses. Additionally, she is prominently featured in the hadith literature, which documents the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad.

One of the earliest known historical figures to bear the name Kadija was Khadija al-Kubra, a 10th-century Fatimid princess and daughter of the Fatimid caliph Al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah. She played a significant role in the establishment of the Fatimid dynasty in North Africa and Egypt.

Another notable figure with the name Kadija was Khadija Terakhsi, a 12th-century female poet and scholar from Khorasan, modern-day Iran. She is known for her contributions to Persian literature and her expertise in various fields, including theology and jurisprudence.

In the 19th century, Khadija Bint Khuwaylid, an influential educator and women's rights activist from Syria, bore the name. She founded several schools for girls and worked tirelessly to promote education and empowerment for women in the region.

Khadija Gayibova, born in 1897 in Azerbaijan, was a prominent Soviet writer and journalist. She played a significant role in the development of Azerbaijani literature and was recognized for her contributions to Soviet journalism and literature.

During the 20th century, Khadija Arib, born in 1960 in Morocco, became a prominent politician and diplomat. She served as the first female Speaker of the House of Representatives in the Netherlands from 2016 to 2021, making history as the first person of Moroccan descent to hold this position.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Kadija over time

The chart below shows babies named Kadija registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Kadija, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2023, compared with 18 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Kadija
0591418199620092023

Decades

Kadija by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kadija 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 #3951 18 3
2010s #3976 60 10
2000s #2258 98 10
1990s #2954 9 2

Related

Names similar to Kadija

FAQ

Kadija: questions and answers

How popular is the name Kadija in the UK right now?

In 2023, Kadija was ranked #3598 for girls in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.

When was Kadija most popular?

The peak year on record was 2008, with 18 babies registered as Kadija in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Kadija?

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "the one who is enough".

How many people are called Kadija in the UK?

A total of 185 babies have been registered as Kadija across the 25 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.