NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Mahirah

A feminine Arabic name meaning "skilled" or "professional".

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.

Mahirah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Mahirah 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 2023, with 10 births.

This profile covers 121 England and Wales registrations across 20 recorded years from 2001 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 30% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 120 living people in the UK are called Mahirah. 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

  • Mahirah ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2023, when 10 girls were registered as Mahirah.
  • About 120 living people in the UK are estimated to have Mahirah 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

2023

10 births

Estimated living

120

2026

Meaning

What does Mahirah mean?

The name Mahirah is of Arabic origin and is derived from the root word "hara," which means "to live" or "to be alive." This name first appeared in the Arabian Peninsula during the early days of Islam, around the 7th century AD.

One of the earliest recorded usages of the name Mahirah can be found in the ancient Islamic literature, where it was mentioned as the name of a companion of the Prophet Muhammad. According to historical accounts, Mahirah bint Sinan was a woman from the tribe of Banu Amir who embraced Islam during the lifetime of the Prophet.

Throughout the centuries, the name Mahirah has been borne by several notable figures in the Islamic world. One such individual was Mahirah al-Ansariyah, a renowned scholar of Hadith (the recorded sayings and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad) who lived in the 9th century AD in Medina, Saudi Arabia.

Another historical figure with the name Mahirah was Mahirah bint al-Abbasi, a princess from the Abbasid dynasty who lived in the 9th century AD. She was known for her patronage of the arts and literature during the golden age of the Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad.

In the 12th century AD, Mahirah al-Qurashiyah was a prominent female poet and scholar from Andalusia, the Muslim-ruled region of present-day Spain and Portugal. Her poetic works contributed significantly to the rich literary tradition of the Andalusian period.

A more recent historical figure bearing the name Mahirah was Mahirah al-Siddiqiyah, a 19th-century Sufi mystic and spiritual leader from Morocco. She founded a Sufi order and played a significant role in the spread of Islamic spirituality in North Africa.

The name Mahirah has a deep-rooted connection to the Arabic language and Islamic culture. Its meaning, which is associated with life and vitality, reflects the importance of these concepts in the Islamic tradition. The name has been carried by notable scholars, poets, and spiritual figures throughout history, contributing to its enduring legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Mahirah over time

The chart below shows babies named Mahirah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2001 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 Mahirah, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 10 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Mahirah
035810200120122024

Decades

Mahirah by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Mahirah 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 #4343 17 3
2010s #3643 57 9
2000s #3305 47 8

Related

Names similar to Mahirah

FAQ

Mahirah: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Mahirah was ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Mahirah most popular?

The peak year on record was 2023, with 10 babies registered as Mahirah in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Mahirah?

A feminine Arabic name meaning "skilled" or "professional".

How many people are called Mahirah in the UK?

A total of 121 babies have been registered as Mahirah across the 20 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.