NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Maisa

An Arabic feminine name meaning "walk with pride" or "feminine and kind".

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.

Maisa is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Maisa popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1819, with 16 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 16 births.

This profile covers 146 England and Wales registrations across 22 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.

Maisa is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 145 living people in the UK are called Maisa. 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

  • Maisa ranked #1819 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 16 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2024, when 16 girls were registered as Maisa.
  • About 145 living people in the UK are estimated to have Maisa as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1819

2024

Births in 2024

16

Latest year

Peak year

2024

16 births

Estimated living

145

2026

Meaning

What does Maisa mean?

The name Maisa has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is a feminine name derived from the Arabic root word "masa," which means "to walk" or "to travel." The name can be traced back to the 7th century, during the rise of Islam and the spread of Arabic culture across the Middle East and North Africa.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Maisa can be found in medieval Arabic literature, particularly in poetry and love stories. It was often used as a metaphor for a beautiful and graceful woman, with the implication of being a traveler on the journey of life.

In Islamic history, there are several notable figures who bore the name Maisa. One of the most famous was Maisa al-Qurashiyya, a 7th-century Arab poet and scholar from Medina. She was renowned for her poetry and her expertise in genealogy and history.

Another historical figure with the name Maisa was Maisa bint Shaddad, a 7th-century Arab woman who was known for her bravery and military prowess. She fought alongside her tribe in battles against rival clans, earning respect and admiration for her courage.

In the 9th century, there was a famous Arab physician named Maisa al-Kindi, who was known for her contributions to the field of medicine. She wrote several treatises on various medical topics and was highly regarded for her knowledge and expertise.

During the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled from the 8th to the 13th century, there was a prominent Arab poet and writer named Maisa al-Baghdadi. She was celebrated for her literary works, which included poetry and prose.

In more recent history, one notable figure with the name Maisa was Maisa Tsidik, a 20th-century Egyptian actress and singer who was born in 1918 and died in 1999. She was a prominent figure in the Egyptian entertainment industry and was known for her roles in numerous films and stage productions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Maisa over time

The chart below shows babies named Maisa 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 Maisa, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 16 births in 2024, compared with 16 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Maisa
0481216200120122024

Decades

Maisa by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Maisa 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 #2773 52 5
2010s #3817 57 9
2000s #3683 37 8

Related

Names similar to Maisa

FAQ

Maisa: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Maisa was ranked #1819 for girls in England and Wales, with 16 births registered.

When was Maisa most popular?

The peak year on record was 2024, with 16 babies registered as Maisa in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Maisa?

An Arabic feminine name meaning "walk with pride" or "feminine and kind".

How many people are called Maisa in the UK?

A total of 146 babies have been registered as Maisa across the 22 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.