UK girl's name
Noorah
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "divine light" or "luminous".
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.
Noorah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Noorah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4192, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 11 births.
This profile covers 76 England and Wales registrations across 12 recorded years from 2007 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 45% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 76 living people in the UK are called Noorah. 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
- • Noorah ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2022, when 11 girls were registered as Noorah.
- • About 76 living people in the UK are estimated to have Noorah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4192
2024
Births in 2024
5
Latest year
Peak year
2022
11 births
Estimated living
76
2026
Meaning
What does Noorah mean?
The name Noorah is derived from the Arabic language and has its roots in the Middle Eastern and Islamic culture. It is believed to have originated in the 7th century CE, during the time of the Islamic Golden Age.
Noorah is derived from the Arabic word "Noor," which means "light" or "radiance." It is a feminine name that carries a strong spiritual and symbolic meaning in the Islamic faith, where light is often associated with divine knowledge, guidance, and enlightenment.
In Islamic tradition, the name Noorah is mentioned in the Quran, the holy book of Islam, where it is used to describe the light of Allah (God) and the guidance He provides to believers. The Quran also refers to the Prophet Muhammad as "a lamp spreading light" (Noor-un-Mubin).
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Noorah can be found in the writings of renowned Islamic scholars and historians from the 8th and 9th centuries CE. These include works by Ibn Ishaq, a biographer of Prophet Muhammad, and Al-Tabari, a renowned historian and exegete.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Noorah. One such individual was Noorah bint Abdul Rahman (1768-1858), a renowned Islamic scholar and poet from the Arabian Peninsula. She was widely respected for her knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence and her contributions to Arabic literature.
Another prominent figure was Noorah Al-Faiz (1862-1924), an Egyptian feminist and activist who fought for women's rights and education. She established one of the first schools for girls in Egypt and played a crucial role in the advancement of women's empowerment in the region.
In the realm of literature, Noorah Al-Sadawi (1857-1931) was a renowned Iraqi poet and writer who is celebrated for her contributions to Arabic poetry and her advocacy for women's rights and social reform.
Additionally, Noorah Al-Suwaidi (1940-2019) was a pioneering Emirati writer and novelist who played a significant role in the development of modern Emirati literature. Her works explored themes of identity, tradition, and the changing society in the United Arab Emirates.
Noorah Al-Ghamdi (1959-present) is a contemporary Saudi Arabian artist and sculptor known for her innovative use of traditional materials and her exploration of cultural identity and gender roles through her art.
The name Noorah continues to be popular in various parts of the Middle East and among Muslim communities worldwide, carrying with it a rich cultural and spiritual significance rooted in the Arabic language and Islamic heritage.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Noorah over time
The chart below shows babies named Noorah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2007 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 Noorah, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 11 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Noorah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Noorah 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 | #2969 | 42 | 5 |
| 2010s | #4298 | 31 | 6 |
| 2000s | #5201 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Noorah
- 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
Noorah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Noorah in the UK right now?
In 2024, Noorah was ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Noorah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2022, with 11 babies registered as Noorah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Noorah?
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "divine light" or "luminous".
How many people are called Noorah in the UK?
A total of 76 babies have been registered as Noorah across the 12 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.