UK girl's name
Mahdia
A feminine Arabic name meaning "guided" or "rightly guided person".
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.
Mahdia is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Mahdia popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5891, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 5 births.
This profile covers 64 England and Wales registrations across 16 recorded years from 1999 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 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 64 living people in the UK are called Mahdia. 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
- • Mahdia ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2009, when 5 girls were registered as Mahdia.
- • About 64 living people in the UK are estimated to have Mahdia as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5891
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2009
5 births
Estimated living
64
2026
Meaning
What does Mahdia mean?
The name Mahdia is of Arabic origin and derives from the Arabic word "mahdi," meaning "the rightly guided one" or "the redeemer." It is closely associated with Islamic tradition and beliefs.
In Islamic eschatology, the Mahdi is a messianic figure who is believed to appear at the end of times to establish justice and peace on Earth. The name Mahdia is often given to children with the hope and prayer that they will grow up to be righteous and guided individuals.
The earliest recorded use of the name Mahdia can be traced back to the 9th century CE, when it was used by members of the Fatimid dynasty, which ruled over parts of North Africa and the Middle East. One notable figure from this period was Al-Mahdi Muhammad ibn Ismail (848-934 CE), the first Fatimid caliph and founder of the Fatimid Caliphate.
Throughout history, several influential individuals have borne the name Mahdia. One example is Mahdia Bint Ahmed El Majri (1805-1886), a Moroccan scholar and poet who was renowned for her contributions to Arabic literature and her advocacy for women's education.
Another notable figure is Mahdia Mabrouk (1859-1940), an Algerian revolutionary and activist who played a significant role in the struggle for Algerian independence from French colonial rule.
In the realm of religion, Mahdia Noorullah (1878-1974) was a prominent Islamic scholar and author from India, who wrote extensively on topics related to Islamic spirituality and philosophy.
Mahdia Khan Fatima (1914-2007) was a Pakistani politician and activist who served as the first female member of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan and fought for women's rights and social reforms.
Mahdia Ghaliya (1888-1979) was an Egyptian feminist and writer who advocated for women's education and the abolition of practices such as polygamy and child marriage.
While the name Mahdia is predominantly associated with the Islamic world, it has also been adopted by individuals from other cultural backgrounds, reflecting the diversity and global reach of this meaningful name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Mahdia over time
The chart below shows babies named Mahdia registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1999 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 Mahdia, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mahdia by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Mahdia 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 | #5118 | 11 | 3 |
| 2010s | #4736 | 33 | 8 |
| 2000s | #4147 | 17 | 4 |
| 1990s | #3900 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Mahdia
- 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
Mahdia: questions and answers
How popular is the name Mahdia in the UK right now?
In 2024, Mahdia was ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Mahdia most popular?
The peak year on record was 2009, with 5 babies registered as Mahdia in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Mahdia?
A feminine Arabic name meaning "guided" or "rightly guided person".
How many people are called Mahdia in the UK?
A total of 64 babies have been registered as Mahdia across the 16 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.