NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Maleehah

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "beautiful" or "lovely".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Maleehah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Maleehah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5669, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2002, with 19 births.

This profile covers 168 England and Wales registrations across 20 recorded years from 1996 to 2022. 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 16% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 167 living people in the UK are called Maleehah. 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 2023 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Maleehah ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales in 2022, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2002, when 19 girls were registered as Maleehah.
  • About 167 living people in the UK are estimated to have Maleehah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5669

2022

Births in 2022

3

Latest year

Peak year

2002

19 births

Estimated living

167

2026

Meaning

What does Maleehah mean?

The name Maleehah has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic root word "maliha," which means "beautiful" or "attractive." The name is believed to have been in use as early as the 7th century AD, during the Islamic Golden Age.

In Arabic, the name Maleehah is written as ملیحة, and it is a feminine given name. It has been a popular choice for baby girls in various Arab countries, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, for centuries.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Maleehah can be found in ancient Arabic poetry and literature. It was often used to describe a woman's beauty and grace, reflecting the name's meaning.

Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Maleehah. One of the most famous was Maleehah bint Abi Sufyan (born around 610 AD), who was the wife of the famous Arabian military leader and companion of Prophet Muhammad, Khalid ibn al-Walid.

Another notable Maleehah was Maleehah al-Andalusiyyah (born around 1040 AD), a renowned Andalusian poet and scholar from the city of Cordoba, Spain, during the era of the Islamic rule in the Iberian Peninsula.

In the 12th century, Maleehah bint al-Malik al-Afdal (born around 1120 AD) was a prominent figure in the Fatimid Caliphate in Egypt. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her support for poets and scholars.

During the Ottoman Empire, Maleehah Sultan (born around 1490 AD) was a prominent figure as the wife of Sultan Bayezid II. She played an influential role in the affairs of the Ottoman court and was known for her charitable works.

In more recent times, Maleehah Kassim (born in 1939) is a notable Malaysian author and academic, known for her contributions to the field of Malay literature and her efforts in promoting women's education.

The name Maleehah has continued to be popular in the Arab world and among Muslim communities worldwide, reflecting its rich cultural heritage and the enduring appreciation for its beautiful meaning.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Maleehah over time

The chart below shows babies named Maleehah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Maleehah, the clearest high point is 2002. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2022, compared with 19 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Maleehah
05101419199620092022

Decades

Maleehah by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Maleehah 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 #5581 6 2
2010s #4434 24 5
2000s #2039 121 10
1990s #2732 17 3

Related

Names similar to Maleehah

FAQ

Maleehah: questions and answers

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

In 2022, Maleehah was ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Maleehah most popular?

The peak year on record was 2002, with 19 babies registered as Maleehah in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Maleehah?

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "beautiful" or "lovely".

How many people are called Maleehah in the UK?

A total of 168 babies have been registered as Maleehah 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.