UK girl's name
Rukaiya
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "the satisfied one".
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.
Rukaiya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Rukaiya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5891, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 8 births.
This profile covers 81 England and Wales registrations across 20 recorded years from 1996 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 38% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 81 living people in the UK are called Rukaiya. 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
- • Rukaiya ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2014, when 8 girls were registered as Rukaiya.
- • About 81 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rukaiya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5891
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2014
8 births
Estimated living
81
2026
Meaning
What does Rukaiya mean?
The name Rukaiya has its roots in the Arabic language and is derived from the word "ruku'", which means "to bow down" or "to show reverence". This suggests that the name may have religious or spiritual connotations.
The earliest known usage of the name Rukaiya can be traced back to the 7th century, during the time of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. According to Islamic tradition, Rukaiya was the name of one of Muhammad's daughters with his first wife, Khadija.
The name Rukaiya is also mentioned in the Quran, the central religious text of Islam. In one verse, the name is used as an example of a virtuous woman who was obedient to God and her husband.
One of the earliest recorded examples of a person with the name Rukaiya is Rukaiya bint Al-Husayn, who lived in the 7th century CE. She was a granddaughter of the Prophet Muhammad and is revered as a scholar and teacher in Islamic history.
Another notable figure with the name Rukaiya was Rukaiya Begum, a 16th-century Mughal princess and the daughter of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her philanthropic efforts.
In the 9th century, Rukaiya bint al-Muhtadi was a renowned poet and scholar in the Abbasid court. She was praised for her literary works and her contributions to the field of Arabic literature.
During the 12th century, Rukaiya Khanum was a prominent figure in the Seljuk Empire. She was a powerful ruler and played a significant role in the political affairs of the empire.
In the 19th century, Rukaiya Sultan Begum was an influential member of the Awadh royal family in India. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her support for education and social reform.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Rukaiya over time
The chart below shows babies named Rukaiya registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Rukaiya, the clearest high point is 2014. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rukaiya by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rukaiya 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 | #5891 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #5065 | 28 | 7 |
| 2000s | #4019 | 37 | 9 |
| 1990s | #3000 | 13 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Rukaiya
- 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
Rukaiya: questions and answers
How popular is the name Rukaiya in the UK right now?
In 2024, Rukaiya was ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Rukaiya most popular?
The peak year on record was 2014, with 8 babies registered as Rukaiya in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Rukaiya?
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "the satisfied one".
How many people are called Rukaiya in the UK?
A total of 81 babies have been registered as Rukaiya across the 20 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.