UK girl's name
Maariyah
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "the worshipper" or "the obedient one".
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.
Maariyah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Maariyah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2000, with 14 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1999, with 58 births.
This profile covers 865 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 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 24% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 860 living people in the UK are called Maariyah. 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
- • Maariyah ranked #2000 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 14 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1999, when 58 girls were registered as Maariyah.
- • About 860 living people in the UK are estimated to have Maariyah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2000
2024
Births in 2024
14
Latest year
Peak year
1999
58 births
Estimated living
860
2026
Meaning
What does Maariyah mean?
The name Maariyah is of Arabic origin and is derived from the root word "marr," which means "to pass" or "to go through." It is a feminine form of the name Maryam, which is the Arabic version of the Biblical name Mary.
The name Maariyah has its roots in the ancient Semitic languages spoken in the Middle East and North Africa. It can be traced back to the 7th century CE, when the Arabic language and culture began to spread across the region.
In the Islamic tradition, the name Maariyah is associated with the revered figure of Mary, the mother of Jesus. She is mentioned numerous times in the Quran and is highly respected as a pious and virtuous woman. The name is also connected to the ancient Egyptian city of Merowe, which was an important center of trade and culture in ancient times.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Maariyah can be found in the writings of the 8th-century Arab historian and scholar Al-Waqidi. He mentions a woman named Maariyah who was a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and played a significant role in the early days of Islam.
Throughout history, there have been several notable women who bore the name Maariyah. One of the most famous was Maariyah al-Qibtiyyah, a Coptic Christian woman who became a wife of the Prophet Muhammad in the 7th century CE. She is revered in Islamic tradition for her wisdom, intelligence, and devotion to her faith.
Another prominent Maariyah was Maariyah al-Mustansiriyah, a 12th-century female scholar and poet from Baghdad. She was known for her expertise in various fields, including literature, philosophy, and theology, and her works were widely acclaimed during her lifetime.
In the 13th century, Maariyah al-Andalusiyyah was a celebrated poet and writer from the Iberian Peninsula. Her compositions, which often dealt with themes of love, nature, and spirituality, were highly influential and contributed to the rich literary tradition of the region.
In the 14th century, Maariyah al-Muqaddasah was a renowned Sufi mystic and spiritual teacher from Damascus. She was known for her deep devotion to God and her profound insights into the spiritual realm, which attracted many followers and students.
Lastly, Maariyah al-Khaliliyyah was a 16th-century Palestinian scholar and jurist who made significant contributions to the field of Islamic jurisprudence. Her writings and legal opinions were highly respected and widely studied in the Ottoman Empire.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Maariyah over time
The chart below shows babies named Maariyah 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 Maariyah, the clearest high point is 1999. The latest England and Wales figure is 14 births in 2024, compared with 58 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Maariyah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Maariyah 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 | #2090 | 72 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1307 | 261 | 10 |
| 2000s | #833 | 360 | 10 |
| 1990s | #613 | 172 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Maariyah
- Megan 70,884
- Mia 67,204
- Molly 47,734
- Millie 44,390
- Maisie 32,671
- Matilda 29,965
- Maya 26,445
- Madison 18,441
- Maria 17,304
- Mollie 15,914
- Martha 15,116
- Maddison 14,918
FAQ
Maariyah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Maariyah in the UK right now?
In 2024, Maariyah was ranked #2000 for girls in England and Wales, with 14 births registered.
When was Maariyah most popular?
The peak year on record was 1999, with 58 babies registered as Maariyah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Maariyah?
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "the worshipper" or "the obedient one".
How many people are called Maariyah in the UK?
A total of 865 babies have been registered as Maariyah across the 29 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.