NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Madiha

A feminine Arabic name meaning "praise" or "praiser".

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.

Madiha is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Madiha popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #837, with 44 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2011, with 55 births.

This profile covers 924 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.

The latest count is about 80% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 928 living people in the UK are called Madiha. 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

  • Madiha ranked #837 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 44 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2011, when 55 girls were registered as Madiha.
  • Madiha ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #749 in 2023.
  • About 928 living people in the UK are estimated to have Madiha as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#837

2024

Births in 2024

44

Latest year

Peak year

2011

55 births

Estimated living

928

2026

Meaning

What does Madiha mean?

The name Madiha is of Arabic origin and is believed to have its roots in the Arabic word "madah," which means "to praise" or "to extol." It is a feminine name that carries a sense of admiration and reverence.

The earliest known usage of the name Madiha can be traced back to the 7th century, during the time of the Islamic Golden Age. It was a popular name among Arab women, particularly those from the Middle Eastern region.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Madiha was Madiha al-Andalusiya, a renowned poet and scholar who lived in the 10th century in Cordoba, Spain. She was celebrated for her remarkable literary works and her contribution to the preservation of Arabic culture during the Umayyad Caliphate in Andalusia.

In the 12th century, Madiha al-Sham'a was a notable Arab female poet from Damascus, Syria. Her poetry often touched on themes of love, spirituality, and the experiences of women in her time. She is considered one of the most influential figures in the development of Arabic literary traditions.

During the 13th century, Madiha al-Baghdadiya was a celebrated calligraphist and artist from Baghdad, Iraq. Her intricate calligraphic works adorned numerous manuscripts and architectural structures, earning her a reputation as one of the most skilled calligraphers of her era.

In the 15th century, Madiha al-Qurashiya was a prominent scholar and religious leader from Mecca, Saudi Arabia. She was renowned for her extensive knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence and her dedication to teaching and spreading Islamic teachings.

Madiha Bint Uthman, who lived in the 17th century, was a highly respected poet and writer from Yemen. Her poetry explored themes of love, spirituality, and the struggles faced by women in her society. She is considered one of the most influential female literary figures in Yemeni history.

While the name Madiha has deep historical roots and significance, it has maintained its popularity across various regions and cultures over the centuries, serving as a testament to its enduring beauty and meaning.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Madiha over time

The chart below shows babies named Madiha 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 Madiha, the clearest high point is 2011. The latest England and Wales figure is 44 births in 2024, compared with 55 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Madiha
014284155199620102024

Decades

Madiha by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Madiha 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 #1117 160 5
2010s #925 404 10
2000s #931 299 10
1990s #1230 61 4

Geography

Where Madiha is most common

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

Madiha ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #749 in 2023.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Madiha in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#749 in 2023

3 years of NRS records, 9 total registered

Related

Names similar to Madiha

FAQ

Madiha: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Madiha was ranked #837 for girls in England and Wales, with 44 births registered.

When was Madiha most popular?

The peak year on record was 2011, with 55 babies registered as Madiha in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Madiha?

A feminine Arabic name meaning "praise" or "praiser".

How many people are called Madiha in the UK?

A total of 924 babies have been registered as Madiha across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 9 more in Scotland.

Where is Madiha most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Madiha ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #749 in 2023. 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.