NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Marwah

A feminine Arabic name meaning "place to return" or "place of refuge".

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.

Marwah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Marwah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1230, with 27 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2015, with 43 births.

This profile covers 575 England and Wales registrations across 26 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 63% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 572 living people in the UK are called Marwah. 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

  • Marwah ranked #1230 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 27 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2015, when 43 girls were registered as Marwah.
  • About 572 living people in the UK are estimated to have Marwah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1230

2024

Births in 2024

27

Latest year

Peak year

2015

43 births

Estimated living

572

2026

Meaning

What does Marwah mean?

The name Marwah has its origins in Arabic, originating from the ancient Semitic languages of the Middle East. It is derived from the Arabic root word "m-r-w," which is associated with concepts of passing, transition, and movement.

In Islamic tradition, Marwah refers to one of the two small hills in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, alongside Safa. The ritual of Sa'i, which involves walking between these two hills, is an essential part of the Islamic pilgrimage known as the Hajj. This connection to the sacred sites of Mecca has given the name Marwah a significant religious and cultural significance in the Islamic world.

The name Marwah can be found mentioned in various Islamic texts and historical records related to the Hajj rituals and the history of Mecca. One of the earliest known references to the name is in the Qur'an, where it is mentioned in the context of the ritual of Sa'i.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Marwah. One of the earliest recorded examples is Marwah bint Auf, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and one of the first women to embrace Islam in the 7th century.

In the 9th century, Marwah al-Raqqa was a renowned Arabic poet and calligrapher from the city of Raqqa, in present-day Syria. Her works are considered part of the golden age of Arabic literature and art.

Marwah al-Saqqaf, born in the late 12th century, was a notable Islamic scholar and jurist from Yemen. She was highly respected for her knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence and her contributions to the field.

In the 19th century, Marwah al-Mallah was a prominent Palestinian educator and feminist activist. She founded one of the first schools for girls in Jerusalem and worked tirelessly to promote women's education and empowerment.

Marwah Daud Ibrahim, born in 1936, is a renowned Pakistani artist and calligrapher. She is celebrated for her intricate and innovative calligraphic works, which have been exhibited globally and are part of major museum collections.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have carried the name Marwah, which has deep roots in Arabic language and Islamic culture, with connections to sacred sites and traditions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Marwah over time

The chart below shows babies named Marwah 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 Marwah, the clearest high point is 2015. The latest England and Wales figure is 27 births in 2024, compared with 43 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Marwah
011223243199920112024

Decades

Marwah by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Marwah 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 #1299 127 5
2010s #1060 336 10
2000s #2396 107 10
1990s #2770 5 1

Related

Names similar to Marwah

FAQ

Marwah: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Marwah was ranked #1230 for girls in England and Wales, with 27 births registered.

When was Marwah most popular?

The peak year on record was 2015, with 43 babies registered as Marwah in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Marwah?

A feminine Arabic name meaning "place to return" or "place of refuge".

How many people are called Marwah in the UK?

A total of 575 babies have been registered as Marwah across the 26 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.