NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Khia

An Arabic name meaning "the highest" or "the most sublime".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2012. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Khia is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Khia popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2012 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4171, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 42 births.

This profile covers 165 England and Wales registrations across 16 recorded years from 1996 to 2012. 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 12% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 170 living people in the UK are called Khia. 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 2013 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Khia ranked #4171 for girls in England and Wales in 2012, with 5 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2005, when 42 girls were registered as Khia.
  • Khia ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #722 in 2006.
  • About 170 living people in the UK are estimated to have Khia as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4171

2012

Births in 2012

5

Latest year

Peak year

2005

42 births

Estimated living

170

2026

Meaning

What does Khia mean?

The name Khia has its origins in the Arabic language and culture, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Arabic word "khayya," which means "life" or "to live." The name is commonly found in regions with a strong Arab influence, such as the Middle East and North Africa.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Khia can be found in the writings of renowned Arab scholars and poets from the 8th and 9th centuries. It is mentioned in several poetic works, often used as a metaphor for vitality, vibrancy, and the essence of life itself.

In the realm of historical figures, Khia was the name of a princess from the Abbasid Caliphate, who lived during the 9th century. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her support for scholars and poets, making her a prominent figure in the cultural and intellectual circles of her time.

Another notable figure bearing the name Khia was a 13th-century Sufi mystic and philosopher from Persia. Her teachings and writings on the spiritual path and the nature of the soul had a profound impact on the development of Islamic mysticism.

Moving forward in time, one of the most famous individuals named Khia was Khia al-Khayzuran (born around 857), a highly influential and powerful woman in the Abbasid court. She served as the chief consort to several Abbasid caliphs and played a significant role in political affairs, wielding considerable influence during her lifetime.

In the 14th century, Khia al-Andalusi was a renowned poet and scholar from the Andalusian region of Spain. Her works, which celebrated love, nature, and the beauty of the Arabic language, have been widely studied and admired throughout the centuries.

Another notable figure was Khia al-Basri, a 16th-century mystic and scholar from Basra, in present-day Iraq. She was renowned for her deep spiritual insights and her contributions to the study of Islamic mysticism and theology.

These are just a few examples of the rich history and significance associated with the name Khia throughout various periods and regions. The name has remained prevalent in the Arabic-speaking world and has gained popularity in other cultures as well, carrying with it the essence of life, vitality, and the enduring legacy of its cultural origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Khia over time

The chart below shows babies named Khia registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2012. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Khia, the clearest high point is 2005. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2012, compared with 42 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Khia
011213242199620042012

Decades

Khia by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Khia 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
2010s #4136 15 3
2000s #2086 133 9
1990s #3145 17 4

Geography

Where Khia is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Khia. 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.

Khia ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #722 in 2006.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Khia in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#722 in 2006

2 years of NRS records, 6 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Khia

  • Khia Lee

    basketball player

    British basketball player (born 2001)

    2001-

Related

Names similar to Khia

FAQ

Khia: questions and answers

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

In 2012, Khia was ranked #4171 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.

When was Khia most popular?

The peak year on record was 2005, with 42 babies registered as Khia in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Khia?

An Arabic name meaning "the highest" or "the most sublime".

How many people are called Khia in the UK?

A total of 165 babies have been registered as Khia across the 16 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 6 more in Scotland.

Where is Khia most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Khia ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #722 in 2006. 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.