UK girl's name
Najmah
An Arabic feminine name meaning "star" or "celestial body".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2009. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Najmah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Najmah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2009 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5556, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2000, with 5 births.
This profile covers 12 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2000 to 2009. 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 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 12 living people in the UK are called Najmah. 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 2010 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Najmah ranked #5556 for girls in England and Wales in 2009, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2000, when 5 girls were registered as Najmah.
- • About 12 living people in the UK are estimated to have Najmah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5556
2009
Births in 2009
3
Latest year
Peak year
2000
5 births
Estimated living
12
2026
Meaning
What does Najmah mean?
The name Najmah is of Arabic origin, derived from the word "najm," which means "star" in Arabic. This name has been used in the Middle East and other regions influenced by Islamic culture for centuries.
The earliest recorded use of the name Najmah dates back to the 7th century, during the time of the Islamic Golden Age. It was a popular name among Muslim communities, often given to girls born at night or under a bright star.
In Islamic literature, the name Najmah appears in several historical texts and religious scriptures. For instance, it is mentioned in the Hadith, the recorded sayings and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad, as a name given to one of his companions.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Najmah. One of the earliest was Najmah bint Hashim (570 - 629 CE), a prominent figure in early Islamic history and a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad. Another notable Najmah was Najmah bint Al-Hakam (720 - 790 CE), a renowned scholar and poet during the Abbasid Caliphate.
In the 11th century, Najmah bint Al-Muhtadi (1005 - 1072 CE) was a prominent figure in the Fatimid Caliphate, known for her patronage of arts and literature. Centuries later, Najmah Ismail (1878 - 1958) was an Egyptian feminist and writer who played a significant role in the women's rights movement in Egypt.
More recently, Najmah Siddiqui (1939 - 2018) was a Pakistani politician and women's rights activist who served as the Minister for Social Welfare and Women's Development in Pakistan.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have carried the name Najmah, a name that continues to be popular in the Arab world and among Muslim communities worldwide.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Najmah over time
The chart below shows babies named Najmah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2000 to 2009. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Najmah, the clearest high point is 2000. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2009, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Najmah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Najmah 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #3904 | 12 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Najmah
- 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
Najmah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Najmah in the UK right now?
In 2009, Najmah was ranked #5556 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Najmah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2000, with 5 babies registered as Najmah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Najmah?
An Arabic feminine name meaning "star" or "celestial body".
How many people are called Najmah in the UK?
A total of 12 babies have been registered as Najmah across the 3 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.