UK girl's name
Rufaida
A feminine Arabic name meaning "small gazelle" or "young doe".
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.
Rufaida is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Rufaida 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 2021, with 6 births.
This profile covers 30 England and Wales registrations across 7 recorded years from 2012 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 83% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 30 living people in the UK are called Rufaida. 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
- • Rufaida ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2021, when 6 girls were registered as Rufaida.
- • About 30 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rufaida 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
2021
6 births
Estimated living
30
2026
Meaning
What does Rufaida mean?
The name Rufaida has its origins in the Arabic language and culture, and it dates back to the 7th century CE. It is derived from the Arabic word "rufayda," which means "little gazelle" or "little doe." The name is often associated with grace, elegance, and beauty, reflecting the qualities of a gazelle.
One of the earliest known references to the name Rufaida can be found in Islamic historical records. It is believed that there was a woman named Rufaida bint Sa'ad Al-Aslamiyyah, who lived during the time of the Prophet Muhammad in the 7th century CE. She is renowned for being one of the first female Muslim nurses and is considered a pioneer in the field of nursing and healthcare.
Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Rufaida. One of them was Rufaida Al-Aslamia, a 9th-century Muslim scholar and hadith narrator from Basra, Iraq. She was known for her expertise in Islamic jurisprudence and her contributions to the preservation of religious knowledge.
Another prominent figure was Rufaida Al-Samarkandi, a 10th-century Muslim physician and scholar from Samarkand, in present-day Uzbekistan. She was renowned for her expertise in medicine and her contributions to the field of ophthalmology.
In the 12th century, there was Rufaida bint Al-Mundhir, a princess and poet from the Ghassanid dynasty in the Levant region. She was celebrated for her literary talents and her contributions to Arabic poetry.
During the 14th century, Rufaida Al-Baghdadiyya was a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist from Baghdad, Iraq. She was highly respected for her expertise in Islamic law and her extensive knowledge of the Quran and hadith.
While the name Rufaida has its roots in the Arabic language and culture, it has gained popularity in various parts of the world, particularly in Muslim communities. The name continues to be associated with grace, elegance, and beauty, reflecting its historical and cultural significance.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Rufaida over time
The chart below shows babies named Rufaida registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2012 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 Rufaida, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rufaida by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rufaida 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 | #4239 | 19 | 4 |
| 2010s | #5189 | 11 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Rufaida
- Ruby 60,551
- Rebecca 45,764
- Rosie 35,558
- Rachel 19,034
- Rose 18,043
- Robyn 14,556
- Rosa 6,236
- Rhiannon 6,180
- Rachael 4,702
- Rebekah 4,395
- Rhianna 4,177
- Ruth 4,118
FAQ
Rufaida: questions and answers
How popular is the name Rufaida in the UK right now?
In 2024, Rufaida was ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Rufaida most popular?
The peak year on record was 2021, with 6 babies registered as Rufaida in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Rufaida?
A feminine Arabic name meaning "small gazelle" or "young doe".
How many people are called Rufaida in the UK?
A total of 30 babies have been registered as Rufaida across the 7 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.