UK girl's name
Khalaya
Of Arabic origin, a feminine name meaning "female friend".
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.
Khalaya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Khalaya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4192, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 5 births.
This profile covers 10 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2023 to 2024. 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 10 living people in the UK are called Khalaya. 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
- • Khalaya ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 5 girls were registered as Khalaya.
- • About 10 living people in the UK are estimated to have Khalaya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4192
2024
Births in 2024
5
Latest year
Peak year
2023
5 births
Estimated living
10
2026
Meaning
What does Khalaya mean?
The name Khalaya is of Arabic origin, stemming from the root word "khala," which means "to be empty" or "to be free." It is believed to have originated in the Arabian Peninsula during the early Islamic era, around the 7th century CE.
In its earliest form, Khalaya was likely a descriptive name given to individuals who possessed a certain freedom or independence of spirit, or who lived a simple, unencumbered life. The name may have also been associated with concepts of purity or emptiness, reflecting the Islamic principles of detachment from worldly possessions and attachments.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Khalaya can be found in the writings of medieval Arab scholars and historians, who often documented the names of notable figures from their time. However, it is difficult to pinpoint specific historical references due to the scarcity of records from that era.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Khalaya. One of the earliest known was Khalaya bint Al-Walid, a prominent Arab poet and scholar who lived in the 8th century CE. She was renowned for her mastery of Arabic language and literature and was considered a leading intellectual figure of her time.
Another notable Khalaya was Khalaya Al-Andalusiyya, a 10th-century Arabic calligrapher and artist from the Andalusian region of Spain. Her intricate calligraphic works were highly praised and are still considered masterpieces of Islamic art today.
In the 12th century, Khalaya Al-Dimashqiyya was a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist from Damascus. She was widely respected for her knowledge of Islamic law and her contributions to the field of jurisprudence.
During the Ottoman Empire, Khalaya Hatun was a prominent figure in the 16th century. She was the wife of Sultan Selim II and played an influential role in the imperial court, known for her patronage of the arts and her charitable works.
In more recent times, Khalaya Al-Sayyid was an Egyptian feminist and activist who lived in the early 20th century. She was a pioneering figure in the women's rights movement in Egypt and worked tirelessly to promote education and empowerment for women in her country.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who bore the name Khalaya throughout history, highlighting its rich cultural and linguistic heritage.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Khalaya over time
The chart below shows babies named Khalaya registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2023 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 Khalaya, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Khalaya by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Khalaya 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 | #4124 | 10 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Khalaya
- Katie 53,185
- Keira 14,411
- Katherine 11,323
- Kayleigh 10,677
- Kate 10,276
- Kelsey 7,224
- Kiera 7,218
- Kayla 6,541
- Kirsty 6,384
- Khadija 5,948
- Kimberley 5,189
- Kaitlyn 5,137
FAQ
Khalaya: questions and answers
How popular is the name Khalaya in the UK right now?
In 2024, Khalaya was ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Khalaya most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 5 babies registered as Khalaya in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Khalaya?
Of Arabic origin, a feminine name meaning "female friend".
How many people are called Khalaya in the UK?
A total of 10 babies have been registered as Khalaya across the 2 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.