UK girl's name
Nafeesah
An Arabic feminine name meaning delicate, precious, or elegant.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Nafeesah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Nafeesah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5687, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2006, with 15 births.
This profile covers 161 England and Wales registrations across 24 recorded years from 1996 to 2023. 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 20% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 160 living people in the UK are called Nafeesah. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Nafeesah ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2006, when 15 girls were registered as Nafeesah.
- • About 160 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nafeesah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5687
2023
Births in 2023
3
Latest year
Peak year
2006
15 births
Estimated living
160
2026
Meaning
What does Nafeesah mean?
The name Nafeesah originates from the Arabic language and is derived from the root word "nafees," which means "precious" or "valuable." It is a feminine name that has been in use since ancient times in the Arab world.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Nafeesah can be traced back to the 7th century CE, during the time of the Islamic Golden Age. This was a period of great cultural, scientific, and intellectual advancement in the Middle East and North Africa.
While the name Nafeesah is not directly mentioned in religious texts like the Quran or Hadith, it is believed to have been inspired by the Islamic values of modesty, purity, and virtue, which are often associated with the concept of "preciousness."
One of the earliest known historical figures to bear the name Nafeesah was Nafeesah bint Al-Hassan (born circa 680 CE), who was a renowned scholar and poet from the Abbasid Caliphate. She was renowned for her knowledge of Arabic literature and her contributions to the development of the Arabic language.
Another notable figure was Nafeesah Al-Andalusiyah (born in 1165 CE), a renowned poet and writer from Al-Andalus (modern-day Spain). She was celebrated for her mastery of Arabic poetry and her elegant literary style, which earned her widespread acclaim during her lifetime.
In the 13th century, Nafeesah bint Al-Mundhir (born circa 1220 CE) was a prominent female scholar and jurist from the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt. She was highly respected for her expertise in Islamic jurisprudence and her contributions to the study of Islamic law.
During the Ottoman Empire, Nafeesah Hanim (born in 1554 CE) was a renowned calligrapher and artist. She was known for her exquisite works of calligraphy, which were often commissioned by the Ottoman sultans and their royal court.
In more recent history, Nafeesah Ali (1939-2018) was a Pakistani author and journalist who made significant contributions to the literary and journalistic landscape of her country. She was widely acclaimed for her novels, short stories, and newspaper columns, which often explored themes of social justice and women's rights.
These are just a few examples of the many notable figures throughout history who have borne the name Nafeesah, each contributing to the rich cultural heritage and legacy associated with this beautiful and meaningful name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Nafeesah over time
The chart below shows babies named Nafeesah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Nafeesah, the clearest high point is 2006. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 15 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nafeesah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nafeesah 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 | #4539 | 13 | 3 |
| 2010s | #4342 | 32 | 7 |
| 2000s | #2519 | 89 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2300 | 27 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Nafeesah
- 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
Nafeesah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Nafeesah in the UK right now?
In 2023, Nafeesah was ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Nafeesah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2006, with 15 babies registered as Nafeesah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Nafeesah?
An Arabic feminine name meaning delicate, precious, or elegant.
How many people are called Nafeesah in the UK?
A total of 161 babies have been registered as Nafeesah across the 24 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.