NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Nabiha

Of Arabic origin, meaning "noble, high-minded, or distinguished".

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.

Nabiha is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Nabiha popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2000, with 14 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 38 births.

This profile covers 525 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 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 37% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 522 living people in the UK are called Nabiha. 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

  • Nabiha ranked #2000 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 14 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2008, when 38 girls were registered as Nabiha.
  • About 522 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nabiha as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2000

2024

Births in 2024

14

Latest year

Peak year

2008

38 births

Estimated living

522

2026

Meaning

What does Nabiha mean?

Nabiha is an Arabic name believed to have its origins in the Arabic language. It is derived from the root word "nabih," which means "intelligent" or "brilliant." The name can also be interpreted to mean "noble" or "sublime."

The name Nabiha has been in use for centuries, with its earliest recorded usage dating back to the 7th century during the Islamic Golden Age. It was a popular name among Arab scholars, poets, and intellectuals of the time, reflecting the value placed on knowledge and wisdom in Islamic culture.

One of the earliest known historical figures with the name Nabiha was Nabiha al-Khansa, a renowned Arab poet who lived during the 7th century. She was celebrated for her elegiac poetry and was considered one of the greatest poets of her era. Another notable figure was Nabiha al-Kirmani, a 10th-century Islamic scholar and jurist known for her contributions to Islamic jurisprudence.

In the 12th century, Nabiha al-Dimashqi was a prominent Syrian scholar and author who wrote on various subjects, including astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy. Her works were widely read and respected in the Islamic world.

During the medieval period, the name Nabiha was also associated with several influential women in the courts of various Islamic empires. One such figure was Nabiha Khanum, a 15th-century Ottoman princess and the daughter of Sultan Mehmed II, who was known for her patronage of the arts and her philanthropic efforts.

In more recent times, Nabiha Amin Baydoun was a notable Lebanese author and activist who lived from 1886 to 1964. She was a pioneering figure in the Arab feminist movement and wrote extensively on women's rights and social issues.

While the name Nabiha has its roots in the Arabic language and Islamic culture, it has been adopted and used by people of various backgrounds and ethnicities throughout history, transcending cultural and geographical boundaries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Nabiha over time

The chart below shows babies named Nabiha registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Nabiha, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 14 births in 2024, compared with 38 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Nabiha
010192938199620102024

Decades

Nabiha by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nabiha 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 #2120 64 5
2010s #1387 250 10
2000s #1447 186 10
1990s #2349 25 4

Related

Names similar to Nabiha

FAQ

Nabiha: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Nabiha was ranked #2000 for girls in England and Wales, with 14 births registered.

When was Nabiha most popular?

The peak year on record was 2008, with 38 babies registered as Nabiha in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Nabiha?

Of Arabic origin, meaning "noble, high-minded, or distinguished".

How many people are called Nabiha in the UK?

A total of 525 babies have been registered as Nabiha across the 29 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.