UK girl's name
Nabila
A feminine Arabic name meaning noble, esteemed, or outstanding.
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.
Nabila is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Nabila popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2411, with 11 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 25 births.
This profile covers 412 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 44% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 413 living people in the UK are called Nabila. 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
- • Nabila ranked #2411 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 11 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2007, when 25 girls were registered as Nabila.
- • Nabila ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #576 in 1989.
- • About 413 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nabila as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2411
2024
Births in 2024
11
Latest year
Peak year
2007
25 births
Estimated living
413
2026
Meaning
What does Nabila mean?
The name Nabila has its roots in the Arabic language and culture, originating from the word "Nabil," meaning noble or distinguished. It is believed to have been in use since the early days of Islam, around the 7th century CE.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Nabila is found in historical records from the Abbasid Caliphate, a prominent Islamic empire that ruled from the 8th to the 13th century. During this period, the name was associated with individuals from noble families or those with high social standing.
In Islamic tradition, the name Nabila is not explicitly mentioned in religious scriptures such as the Quran or the Hadith. However, its meaning and connotation align with the values and teachings of Islam, which emphasize nobility of character and moral excellence.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Nabila. One of the earliest recorded individuals was Nabila bint Al-Hasan, a renowned scholar and poet who lived during the 9th century CE in the city of Baghdad. She was celebrated for her literary contributions and her passion for knowledge.
Another prominent figure was Nabila Al-Jazariyya, a 12th-century Sufi mystic and scholar from the city of Jazira, present-day Turkey. She was known for her wisdom and spiritual teachings, and her writings on Sufism continue to be studied by scholars today.
In the realm of art and culture, Nabila Iskandar, an Egyptian painter and sculptor born in 1928, gained recognition for her vibrant and expressive works that captured the essence of Egyptian life and traditions.
The name Nabila also graced the stage with Nabila Ebrahimi, an Afghan actress and filmmaker born in 1962. She is renowned for her contributions to the Afghan film industry and her advocacy for women's rights and empowerment.
More recently, Nabila Khashoggi, a Saudi Arabian author and businesswoman born in 1958, made headlines for her successful business ventures and her involvement in philanthropic endeavors.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have carried the name Nabila, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of human civilization.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Nabila over time
The chart below shows babies named Nabila 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 Nabila, the clearest high point is 2007. The latest England and Wales figure is 11 births in 2024, compared with 25 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nabila by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nabila 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 | #3008 | 44 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2052 | 141 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1460 | 164 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1231 | 63 | 4 |
Geography
Where Nabila is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Nabila. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Nabila ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #576 in 1989.
Across the UK
Nabila in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#576 in 1989
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Nabila
- Niamh 20,347
- Nicole 19,687
- Natasha 15,578
- Nancy 12,607
- Naomi 12,199
- Natalie 10,885
- Nevaeh 7,869
- Nina 7,285
- Neve 7,180
- Natalia 7,099
- Nadia 6,032
- Nicola 4,927
FAQ
Nabila: questions and answers
How popular is the name Nabila in the UK right now?
In 2024, Nabila was ranked #2411 for girls in England and Wales, with 11 births registered.
When was Nabila most popular?
The peak year on record was 2007, with 25 babies registered as Nabila in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Nabila?
A feminine Arabic name meaning noble, esteemed, or outstanding.
How many people are called Nabila in the UK?
A total of 412 babies have been registered as Nabila across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Nabila most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Nabila ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #576 in 1989. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.