UK girl's name
Nourah
A feminine Arabic name meaning "light" or "radiance".
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.
Nourah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Nourah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1672, with 18 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 18 births.
This profile covers 73 England and Wales registrations across 9 recorded years from 2015 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.
Nourah is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 73 living people in the UK are called Nourah. 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
- • Nourah ranked #1672 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 18 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2024, when 18 girls were registered as Nourah.
- • About 73 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nourah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1672
2024
Births in 2024
18
Latest year
Peak year
2024
18 births
Estimated living
73
2026
Meaning
What does Nourah mean?
The name Nourah is of Arabic origin, derived from the word "nur" which means "light" or "radiance" in the Arabic language. This name has been in use for centuries and is deeply rooted in the Islamic culture and tradition.
In the Islamic faith, light holds significant symbolism, representing knowledge, guidance, and enlightenment. The Quran, the central religious text of Islam, often uses the term "nur" to describe the light of faith and the divine revelation.
The earliest recorded use of the name Nourah can be traced back to the 7th century, during the time of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the early Muslim community. Historical records mention several women named Nourah who were companions of the Prophet and played influential roles in the spread of Islam.
One notable figure bearing this name was Nourah bint Al-Harith, a prominent female scholar and narrator of hadith (sayings and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad). She lived in the 7th century and was renowned for her deep knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence and her contributions to the preservation of the Prophet's teachings.
Another historical figure named Nourah was Nourah bint Malik Al-Ansariyah, a woman from the Ansar tribe who pledged allegiance to the Prophet Muhammad and participated in various battles alongside the early Muslim community. She is remembered for her bravery and devotion to the cause of Islam.
In the 9th century, Nourah bint al-Husayn al-Alawiyah was a prominent female scholar and poet from the Abbasid era. She was known for her expertise in various fields, including Arabic literature, poetry, and Islamic sciences.
During the Ottoman Empire, the name Nourah gained further popularity, and several notable figures bore this name. One such individual was Nourah Sultan, the daughter of Sultan Murad III, who lived in the 16th century and was known for her philanthropic work and patronage of art and literature.
In more recent times, Nourah Al-Sadoun, a Kuwaiti author and activist born in 1958, has made significant contributions to the literary and cultural landscape of the Arab world through her novels, short stories, and advocacy for women's rights.
These are just a few examples of historical figures who carried the name Nourah, reflecting its enduring presence and significance within the Arabic and Islamic traditions over the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Nourah over time
The chart below shows babies named Nourah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2015 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 Nourah, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 18 births in 2024, compared with 18 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nourah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nourah 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 | #2684 | 52 | 5 |
| 2010s | #4196 | 21 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Nourah
- 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
Nourah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Nourah in the UK right now?
In 2024, Nourah was ranked #1672 for girls in England and Wales, with 18 births registered.
When was Nourah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2024, with 18 babies registered as Nourah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Nourah?
A feminine Arabic name meaning "light" or "radiance".
How many people are called Nourah in the UK?
A total of 73 babies have been registered as Nourah across the 9 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.